Eternal
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: A kingdom thrown into chaos, where danger and corruption lurk in every shadow, waiting for the right time to strike the hearts of the innocent. Monsters take the forms of both humans and beasts, and the righteous princess and those she loves struggle desperately to overcome a thousand-year curse. (Dragon's Curse AU)
1. Prologue: A Dragon's Wrath

**A/N: Usual warnings for my multi-chapter fics. Do NOT expect much from this. I suffer in longer stories and I'm well-aware of that. The initial idea for this fic changed multiple times over the months and even as I was writing it. It's not my best, so I ask you to look past the flaws of the details and try to enjoy the story.**

**Amazing artwork, including the cover art you see here, is created by my friend adamantred, and can be found on her tumblr under her art tag, or on mine at hanasaku-shijin,tumblr,com/tagged/dragons_curse_au.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Eternal<p>

Prologue: A Dragon's Wrath

The world was in chaos.

With his supernatural senses, he could hear it, even thousands of miles deep into the core of the earth, tucked away in his cavern.

The creatures of the world were warring again, and it was loud enough to rouse him.

As an Ancient Dragon, and one of the oldest left alive, he had lived for millennia, keeping to himself. He was aware of the world around him, of the new species that breathed to life, of the ones that withered and died off.

And this was not the first time he had been woken by mankind.

In fact, that had been the species to cause the most trouble, to wake him with their trivial wars and senseless acts of killing more than several times in all his existence.

He could understand why pettier dragons would show themselves frequently to the dwellers of the planet on the surface of its tectonic plates; they liked man's opulence, his gold, liked stealing his livestock and his women.

But the few Ancient Dragons left knew that man's treasures were nothing compared to the true vestiges of the earth, the natural gold that shone brightest and in abundance in the darkest caverns - untarnished - where no greedy fingerprints could smudge its beauty. The most delectable sheep roamed freely over mountains man had never dreamed existed, and the fairest of women adorned wings or scales and took residence in secret twilight forests and deep clear oceans.

The Ancient Dragon had dealt with man and his insignificant troubles before, revealing himself every several hundred years or so to keep their rapidly-increasing population in check.

But recently, they had been too boisterous, and their provocation denied the old reptile his much-needed rest.

Lacking the entirety of his better judgement, he crawled up the miles of molten caves until he breached the surface of the earth. The soil parted for him, trees making way for his massive form. He stretched his wiry wings and tail, extending his brawny limbs to their limits.

Man - though far from being a vapid species - was an irksome one, one that had been tainting the planet from whence the Dragon gained sustenance; their pollution clogged his mighty lungs to the point of discomfort.

Therefore, he was somewhat delirious as he took flight for the first time in almost a thousand years.

The wounds of the world were his wounds, and he shared the pain of the planet.

When the earth cried out, he spoke for it with a raucous, bellowing roar, and a flash of fire.

And only the purest of souls lived to see another day.

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><p><strong>Please review!<strong>


	2. Chapter 1: Queen Summer

**A/N: Set before the main events of the story, a background-building chapter of sorts. Basically, info dump and I have no idea how to fix it without losing what I want to keep...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 1. Queen Summer<p>

The kingdom of Vale was one of the largest of them all.

Numerous street vendors paraded the market paths every morning, families or loners striving to make a cent more lien than the next person.

Faunus stragglers often stole when the opportunity showed itself, and if they were lithe and cunning enough, they often got away to rob another stall the next day. Sometimes fallen scraps would suffice, or sometimes the kind hand of a generous stranger would bless them.

If one ever came into enough expenses or luck to open their own stand to start a business, the Faunus often kept to their own kind, sold only to their oppressed brothers and sisters.

Vale was far from perfect, but there was less crime and murder here than in the other kingdoms, and perhaps that was due to the actions of those in power.

No one knew exactly where _she_ came from, but she seemed to have been around for as long as anyone could remember.

The venerable Queen bore the name of Summer Rose, and she was not a ruler that could be trodden on easily – or at all, for that matter.

Whenever war broke out, she used her political wit and reasoning before all else, more often than not able to resolve things peacefully and with benefits to all parties involved.

However, the few times war was necessary, she did not simply hide behind her bodyguards in a safe room of her castle. She was at the head of the battalion, leading every attack with her own sword and steed, her billowing white cloak that was renown on the battlefield snapping out behind her.

The people never feared for her, for she was more or less invincible, almost omnipotent.

At least, for a time.

As was often the case, the downfall of this legendary woman of power was the cruelest emotion of all:

Love.

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><p>After many years of reigning her kingdom and bringing them to a time of tranquility and peace with the rest of Remnant, Summer took a man's hand in marriage.<p>

His name was Tai, and he, like many others, had lost his first love.

Some died in battle, some from disease, some from wicked curses or magics.

Summer met him at one of the monthly banquets where the castle opened up its lavish doors to all citizens, human or Faunus. There was dancing, free food, jousting and games, and thanks to the watchful eye of the armies, never any hindrances beyond a few petty thievery incidents.

Banquet nights were times of peace between the humans and Faunus, where differences were put aside for the sake of respecting one another, and for the sake of simply having a good time. The races' relationships still had a bit of a ways to go before past damages could ever hope to mend, but under Summer's rule, things were getting better, slowly but surely.

It was on a warm summer evening when she met this man, her future king.

She had never seen him before, and was initially intrigued by his presence, and even more so by the baby girl who clung tightly to his back.

Introductions struck up between them, and before very long they had lost themselves in conversation after conversation.

He had originally lived in another kingdom, where he had met the mother of the girl on his shoulders. The girl's name was Yang, he told Summer, and her mother had disappeared shortly after giving birth to her.

Confused and desperate, he had gathered his daughter and a bare minimum of their belongings before abandoning his own kingdom to search for answers. In their travels, they had come across no information about his wife's whereabouts, however he had caught wind of a generous banquet that would welcome in weary travelers.

And so, there he was before her.

She invited him to take residence in her kingdom, offered him a small house in the village that had been abandoned. Not a fool to refuse an offer like that – _especially_ from a queen – he had humbly and graciously accepted, begging to somehow repay her kindness.

And he did, only several months later when they were married.

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><p>On that day, the entire kingdom celebrated.<p>

The party that was held was more extravagant than five banquets combined. The entire population attended or at least made an effort to. Cheers of congratulations roared through the air all day and all night long. Music was played by various quartets and small bands of musicians all over town.

In the mirth of it all, humans and Faunus danced together, shared contact, and altogether were brought closer together than ever before.

Vale's time of peace suffused, growing stronger and more evident, and rather than become jealous, the other kingdoms seemed to be taking the memo and following suit.

Humans and Faunus started helping rather than ignoring or competing with each other, and interracial relationships were soon not so uncommon.

The winter seemed particularly warm that year; the entire kingdom seemed to be in love.

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><p>The following spring, Summer gave birth to a lovely baby girl, but not just any girl; a princess.<p>

Summer loved her very dearly.

But that love would be her downfall.

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><p>Princess Ruby Rose was only four years old at the time, her half-sister Yang only six.<p>

Vale's – and possibly, consequently, all of Remnant's – time of peace was continuing strongly. The kingdoms interacted by means of aiding rather than harming one another, and whatever issues existed were within the confines of their own territories.

The biggest threat to the people was no longer other people, but monsters.

The creatures of Grimm took the forms of many beasts. No one knew from quite whence they hailed, but any person could sense they were a threat to the world.

At first, the existence of Grimm was thought to be natural, but by this year, it was getting to the point of imbalance.

The once-docile creatures that often kept to the forests and wastelands outside of the peoples' limits suddenly grew bloodthirsty, and there had been more attacks and deaths in recent months than in previous years combined.

The stirring of the beasts unsettled every soul, and mention of old legends started leaking past lips.

It had happened eons ago, when an increase in Grimm had imbalanced the world so greatly, it drew forth an even mightier force.

Legend had it that the Dragon was a being that had been roused from his thousand-year sleep in his cave in the crevice at the center of the world. He had slithered up through the cracks of the earth, fiery chasms that no mortal eye ever saw the bottom of.

They said the chaos and screams of the warring people and Grimm had woken him, and he had no mercy to spare for either side. He had spread his wings and took flight for the first time in over a thousand years, casting curses upon every living thing that crossed his path before vanishing back from whence he came.

In that year alone, half of Remnant's population perished, be it due to illness or severe natural disasters.

Thanks to their innovations, the remaining people survived, though some withered off or went mad under siege of their own dark magics.

Almost all of the Grimm had been destroyed then, and the human and Faunus populations combined were far greater in number than that of the beasts.

And so the creatures had gone into hiding, repopulating for centuries until it brought them to the present.

The Grimm - burdened with ancestral hatred of the people that had been passed down for generations - started to attack them.

And naturally, the people fought back.

At first, the King and Queen limited fighting of the Grimm to only for mandatory instances of self-defense. They forbade hunting the Grimm to the point of extinction, for they knew that such a drastic change in the world's environment would create chaos like never before.

But bands of radicals who would rather eradicate the beasts altogether started to form. They had no knowledge of what balance was, and sought to destroy the beasts until only humans and Faunus remained.

Prone to indiscretion, they set out to hunt down the very last of the Grimm. There were many groups, most of which were comprised of young knights who wanted to prove their worth - knights who could not be stymied by royal orders. Some survived to hunt another day, to improve their skills and share what they had learned from their experiences, but many never returned.

The most infamous group however, was made of Faunus, ones who harbored a rudimentary education of the world at best, ones who still suffered the repercussions of the past years' oppression and discrimination. Many still made homes in the alleyways, or continued to steal for a living.

Therefore, after a time, Faunus of such status had eventually come together, deciding to use their energy fighting and training rather than corrupting the town any further. Many sacrificed themselves as fodder, hoping that in giving up their own pitiful lives, that perhaps they could at least satiate some of the beasts long enough to prevent the slaughter of other citizens.

But those who fought continued to do so, rummaging through the debris of the battlefields and gathering up the weapons of their fallen comrades before they were laid to rest.

It was not long before the bursts of anger and desperation were replaced by organized attacks.

Those that survived more hunts eventually rose to power in ranks of the group. Battle training camps were formed and enacted in secret; they were working against the orders of the Queen, after all, and with so much to handle on her plate, she could not dedicate too much time into stopping them.

They gained numbers quickly - Faunus who had nothing left to lose, and some who had everything to lose. They started to train, forge weapons, and set out in formations to take on the Grimm.

They called themselves the White Fang.

Many saw merit in the things they did, and believed they were righteous to try and fight off the monsters; for these reasons, even a handful of humans joined their ranks.

But the majority of the people looked down upon the mutinous group for acting out in direct contrast to the Queen's wishes; they had lived many years under Summer's rule and she had never once led them astray.

In her eyes, the quixotic ideals of the White Fang were defending the citizens temporarily, but would ultimately spell doom for the entire world if they did eventually succeed in killing every last Grimm. She even went so far as to enact a law that forbade the necessary slaughter of Grimm in hopes to spare some of their numbers to maintain balance.

But the beasts were bloodthirsty by nature, and only growing even more so now as the White Fang trampled into their woods to slay them.

As time went on, tensions only grew tighter and tighter, like various ropes that were straining under pressure; it would not be long before they started to snap.

Before long, there was little Summer and Tai could do to stop the war between man and beast that would not cause fighting between the citizens themselves.

But unbeknownst to anyone else, Summer had something much, much more devastating to consider.

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><p>In the autumn of that year, Vale's Queen suddenly vanished without a trace.<p>

The only thing Summer had left behind were kisses to her sleeping daughters' foreheads, and a remorseful letter to her husband tied to the stem of a dying flower:

_My love, _

_I know you will raise our daughters to be the finest people they can be. I haven't the slightest doubt that you will be able to overcome the obstacles that have risen, as perilous as they may seem. It is with the deepest, most agonizing regret with which I leave you, but I haven't any other choice, for the petals of this Rose are weaved with dark magics – a curse. _

_Farewell, my love, and my precious daughters._

_Summer Rose, thus kindly I scatter._

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><p>The King wept for days, and the kingdom wept with him.<p>

His daughters wailed every night, pleading for their mother's return.

The loss of Vale's Queen was devastating, and for a time, even the White Fang ceased their activities. But the Grimm never stopped attacking, and so the people were forced to fight back when instigated.

Summer left behind no body, nor any means of tracking her; if she was still alive, she would never be found.

The lonesome king struggled to run his kingdom on his own after that.

Some of the people called Summer a traitor for abandoning them in their time of dire need, but the majority mourned her loss dearly. She had led them through their best years of life, the most peaceful, the kindest, and they wanted to honor her memory by attempting to continue that.

They did their best, but there was only so much a town of terrified humans and paranoid Faunus led by a disheartened king could manage.

A team of scholars did however, step forward. The young man who led them called himself Ozpin, and his grey hair mislead the mind into thinking his age was a greater number than it truly was.

Together with his companions – a young woman named Glynda and two other men – they delved into studying old archives and records kept at the castle.

Through seeking out certain documents about Vale's history, and making connections between various discoveries, they came to a less than auspicious conclusion about Summer's curse.

It was revealed that the Queen had been a victim of the Dragon's curse almost one thousand years ago.

There were hundreds of curses that had been cast by the almighty beast in that dark time, ranging from deadly storms to curses that made people go mad.

Some were cursed to kill until they were killed, and some were curse to be killed by their own family.

Some were cursed to be taken by disease, and some were cursed to initiate and spread such a disease.

But while some were cursed to kill and be killed, it was arguable that some suffered even more terrible curses.

Summer's curse had been that of eternal life until love.

For centuries, she had wandered Remnant, watching those around her perish in anguish, praying she could do the same. She had witnessed her parents and siblings being slain by one another's blades.

And yet she remained untouched.

No matter how frequently she tried to kill herself, no matter the method she attempted, she never died. She knew her curse was a branch of immortality, but she knew not how to break it.

Until she had met her husband and given birth to Ruby.

Somehow, she had sensed her death was drawing near, and had held out with them all for as long as she could. But she could not bare the thought of her kingdom – her family – watching her die.

And so she had left them with no evidence of her demise, leaving them with a shred of hope that perhaps she was still alive somewhere, somehow.

Only Summer would ever know.

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><p>In the ensuing years, the King continued to run the country, his daughters continued to grow, the people continued to thrive in fear, and the White Fang continued to fight.<p>

Every day, the people could sense it was one closer to the inevitable crumbling of their world, and they longed to die and leave their problems behind to a new generation.

But as the new wave of children started to grow and display their unique skills, it was murmured around the kingdom that perhaps there was hope for them all yet...

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><p><strong>AN: I'm sorry I needed to throw in so much at once. I hope the breaks helped a little.**

**Chapter 2 preview:**_** Weiss' father had gotten close to Ruby's long before Summer's disappearance. Like they tried to do for all families, the King and Queen had assisted the Schnees in their darkest of times. **_

_**The man and his wife had been so thankful that they pledged one of their two daughters to the King and Queen, vowing that she would serve to be the future princess' personal bodyguard.  
><strong>_

**Please review!**


	3. Chapter 2: Princess Rose

**A/N: Again, apologies for the last chapter. But starting here is the current time of the story events.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 2. Princess Rose<p>

Pale, milky sunlight filtered in past the beige curtains, dyeing the room in tea-stained colors.

Being a princess of a renown kingdom, Ruby Rose was never one to sleep in late; while she was quite far from succeeding her mother in being queen, she still had responsibilities to her people to tend to.

But this morning, she had woken a little earlier than usual, even before the songbirds could start filling the crisp, early-autumn air with their melodies.

If she closed her eyes and focused more on her hearing, she could just make out the sounds of creaking steps around the castle, or things being moved around in the kitchen to prepare for breakfast. Outside too, she could hear the shopkeepers rolling their wagons of stock, setting up their stands, calling short greetings to one another before they got ready for a new day.

Her mind was still a little fuzzy, her vision bleary from sleep, and it was at times like these when she could best feel and appreciate the soft fabrics of her red nightgown, the plush of her pillow.

She closed her eyes again; a bit of time remained for her to sleep...

But by the familiar padding of footsteps bound for her door, she knew she would not get to indulge herself in those final fleeting moments.

She groaned a little, counting down the footsteps – three, two, one – until a knock came on her door and a voice called out.

"Princess?"

Ruby sighed heavily, but reminded herself that what she had lost in sleep would soon be compensated for in companionship. She pushed herself up and looked toward the door.

"Come in, Weiss."

There was a respectful pause before the door was pushed inward, and Ruby could not prevent the smile on her lips when her knight stepped in.

Ruby was often early to rise, but Weiss was even more so.

While the princess still adorned her sleepwear dress, Weiss was already fully dressed in her attire – white pants and a shirt of thick material that covered a skirt of similar color, all of which were lined with blue and coated by armor. Her sheath and weapon hung at her left hip, but unlike the other knights in the kingdom, Weiss did not wield an ordinary sword, but a rapier. She had been a master at it, trained in the way of this weapon possibly even before she could walk or speak.

Weiss' father had gotten close to Ruby's long before Summer's disappearance. Like they tried to do for all families, the King and Queen had assisted the Schnees in their darkest of times. The man and his wife had been so thankful that they pledged one of their two daughters to the King and Queen, vowing that she would serve to be the future princess' personal bodyguard.

And so she was.

Weiss had been trained all her life to protect and defend Ruby, even at the cost of her own life.

But being Ruby's bodyguard was not her only task.

Even at a younger age, Weiss could never manage to maintain the wedge that was supposed to exist between herself and her charge, how Ruby was supposed to be the royal princess and Weiss merely an aide.

Ruby had never been aloof or uncaring – just the opposite, in fact. No matter how hard Weiss tried to put distance between the two of them, keep their status levels apparent, Ruby broke down every wall, crossed every boundary with her cheerful laugh and amiable smile. She was not so petty as to care for titles and how high up a person was on the political food chain; she lived believing everyone and anyone was her friend.

And before Weiss had even realized it, Ruby had brought her into her circle, someplace closer to her than anyone else had ever gone before.

Weiss had been scared at first that ignoring their differences in power could prove to destroy their relationship altogether; but as the years went on, she found it only gave strength to it.

Of course, she still kept up the appearance as much as possible, despite Ruby's obvious enjoyment of trying to make her drop it.

"Weiss!"

The jovial call of her name snapped her back to her senses and the present. She looked up to where Ruby still sat in bed, giggling softly to herself.

"Don't just stand there all day! Come inside, silly."

Weiss realized she was still lingering in the doorway, and with a sigh did as she was told, closing the door behind her before crossing the room.

"Yes, Princess."

"Weeiissss," she whined. "I _told_ you to just call me by my name when it's just the two of us! Heck, it's fine to do it even in public, but I know you won't. But still, it's okay!" She gave Weiss an imploring look.

The white-haired girl scratched the back of her head before running her gloved fingers down through the length of her ponytail.

"Yes, Ruby."

"There we go!" Ruby clapped, delight clear in her tone. Save from her sister and father, everyone else called her by her title "Princess" or "Princess Rose" or "Miss Rose". Weiss was the only person unrelated to her who would sometimes call her by her real name.

The first time Weiss had done it was when they were younger, and Ruby had been about seven years old. Weiss had quickly slapped a palm over her mouth and thrown herself onto the floor before Ruby, bowing in the form to display one's deepest apologies, begging to be forgiven for carelessly misspeaking.

But the princess had merely placed a hand on her shoulder until Weiss looked up at her, and Ruby told her: "I like it when you say my name!"

So from then on, Weiss would try to make her happy, calling her by name whenever they were alone, though as they grew older, the knight only grew more stubborn for the sake of appearances and being professional.

Presently, Ruby made eye contact with her knight and patted the space beside her on the bed.

"Here, come sit down!" she invited. "Gosh, you always look so tired."

"I most certainly do not," Weiss said in the most respectful retort possible, remaining where she was. "I assure you I get my five hours' worth almost every night."

"Ugh, Weiss..."

"Is there a problem?"

"Nooo..." Ruby sighed. "But I wish you'd get some more rest every once in a while. I mean, you're already one of Vale's most skilled knights and fighters as you are, but imagine how much better you could be if you _actually slept!_"

"I sleep plenty, I assure you. And besides..." She trailed off briefly, her tone lowering an octave. "We don't exactly have that kind of luxury, what with the world as it is now."

Ruby's smile fell, Weiss' words bringing up the thoughts beyond her cozy bedroom, where real issues were still occurring right beneath her window sill.

Although Vale was in a time of peace with the rest of Remnant's kingdoms, it was not due to the educated minds and kind hearts of humans and Faunus. Rather, the people found themselves at armistice due to a common enemy; the Grimm.

Each kingdom focused on defending its own people from the beasts, as the creatures' attacks seemed to be getting fiercer with each passing season.

However, a discovery made by Ozpin and his team of researchers several years ago had put Vale in an even more pressured position than the other kingdoms.

The story of the Dragon's awakening almost a thousand years ago was known by all. It was the story parents told their children to keep them in line, that "if you don't listen, the Dragon will come and curse you!"

In addition to what Ozpin and his fellows had discovered about Summer's curse, their continued research had also brought them stumbling across another, possibly more dire aspect of things. When the Dragon was awoken due to man's irksome tantrums, the great beast breathed curses onto all that were not purest of heart, body, and soul. Half the world's population perished.

But there was one person who survived with what they called the Dragon's Curse; a curse that did not kill the host right away. That host had been none other than Summer Rose.

Being cursed by the beast, most people died within years, if not weeks or days. But Summer had lived for centuries, her soul closer to the Dragon's than anyone else's. And with her evident passing, the Dragon's Curse had been passed on to another.

The researchers still knew not how the transfer occurred, or what the new curse would entail, but it would likely not be the same as Summer's. She had been bound to watch those she cared for die around her until she found true love, and once she had obtained that, she was forced to leave them behind and make them suffer and grieve her loss.

Whatever the new curse was, no one could be certain.

But they _did_ have an idea of who bore it.

Ruby's shoulders slumped as she thought of it all.

Her expression was so miserable, such a dire contrast to the bright smile it had been mere moments ago, that Weiss gasped softly. She went before her princess, kneeling down in front of her and covering both of her hands.

"Now, now. No need to get upset. I'm sorry for bringing it all up, Ruby."

The sound of her name made her feel a bit better, and she lifted her gaze to meet Weiss'.

"No. It's okay. I would've remembered it at some point during the day, so I'm glad you were here with me when I did." She shrugged, trying to bring back her smile.

Weiss' thumbs traced circles over the brunette's knuckles.

"You dunce," she chided good-heartedly; it wasn't a term she called Ruby often, but it always made the girl chuckle. "I would've been there beside you either way."

"Oh yeah. I guess you're right." After all, the only times Weiss was _not_ right beside her were the five hours her knight slept at night. "Well still, I'm glad you were with me." Ruby turned her palms so they pressed up into hers.

Weiss held her gaze for a moment, searching for any lingering signs of discomfort. But the princess' semblance was speed, and her mood could bounce back just as quickly as she could often dash across an open field, putting the kingdom's best horses to shame.

Once she was certain the girl was alright, Weiss got to her feet.

"Alright then. I'll help you get dressed."

"But Weeiissss! I'm old enough to do it by myseeeelf! Don't tease me and treat me like a kiiiid!"

"Says the girl who just whined all of that," Weiss grunted, albeit playfully.

"But I'm almost eighteeeeen!"

"Then start acting like it."

"Booo, you're no fun..."

Weiss kept a hold on the girl's hands and helped her up as well.

As Ruby retreated to her closet and personal bathroom to prepare herself for the day, Weiss made her bed for her and tidied things up.

The castle did have maids and servants, most of which were Faunus the King himself had hired, not only to provide work for them, but to keeping them out of White Fang's activities. Though he could not hire every financially-challenged Faunus in Vale, he did his best to dissuade illegal Grimm hunting without harming his people; those who were apprehended were tried and held in prison for a time.

So the royal castle did have plenty of maids to keep the place clean, but Weiss always opted to take care of Ruby's room herself.

She could hear the water splashing as Ruby bathed herself, and in the meantime, Weiss went to the girl's wardrobe and pulled out a flowing red cloak. It had been the only thing Summer Rose had left behind the night she disappeared, her once-pure-white cloak having suddenly been dyed an ominous crimson shade with no explantation as to why.

Ruby's father had given it to her even at such a young age, believing it would help protect Summer's only daughter against whatever dark forces in the universe that acted against her.

And Ruby loved that cloak; it was her treasure, and Weiss knew just how dearly she cared for it, so she took the liberty of keeping it clean and soft, washing it every night with care.

She folded it neatly, carrying it to Ruby's bed and placing it down as Weiss waited for her princess to emerge.

But a pleading call of Weiss' name for help had the older girl rolling her eyes before she slipped into the bathroom.

As so often happened, Ruby was having trouble with zippering her dress and tying her corset. The girl had never been one for gowns and layers of fancy lace; she would much rather wear something like what the citizens wore, something lighter and easy to move and breathe in.

Over the years, Ruby's father had agreed to letting her wear simple shoes without heels, though he insisted the formalwear stay the majority of the time.

She _did_ often get to dress in armor though, as even princesses needed their fighting lessons – especially a princess born of the legendary Queen Summer Rose.

Ruby was highly-skilled by nature – it was in her blood to fight and defend what she loved most dearly. Therefore, a few days a week, Ruby adored knight's attire to attend her combat lessons.

Unfortunately for her, today was not one of those days.

Weiss helped her with her corset and zipper, manually fixing the girl's faulty posture for her before ruffling a towel through her damp, messy hair. Ruby chuckled when she saw her own reflection.

"I look like a shaggy puppy!"

"More like a mutt," Weiss commented, also smirking.

She fixed Ruby's hair for her, combing through it lightly before leading her back into her bedroom. Weiss fastened Ruby's cloak around her shoulders, taking note of how this always seemed to be the brunette's favorite part of the morning routine.

"There," Weiss nodded. "You're all set."

"Why thank you, m'lady!" Ruby gave a slight bow, causing Weiss to jump a bit.

"Dolt! D-Don't lower your head to someone like me so casually!"

"Aw, but you're my best friend, Weiss!"

"But _you're_ the next in line as Queen, must I remind you?"

"And that means I can't appreciate my friends?"

"...Fine. Do as you please."

"Thank you!"

"Let's get you to breakfast."

Weiss took Ruby's hand, not missing the little squeeze the younger girl gave to her palm.

She led her out of the room and down the hall, pausing every so often so Ruby could greet every servant that passed them by.

At first, this had been a comical scene, as Ruby would always greet them first, which was the exact opposite of how things were supposed to be; for a princess to initiate a conversation with servants... Most of them had almost fallen over in a panic the first few times, their Faunus ears flattening or tails twitching nervously.

But as time went on, they had accepted just how kind and thoughtful Ruby Rose was, never discriminatory or one to care for status.

It was due to her wholehearted kindness that most people in Vale had come to love and respect her, and the very, _very_ small percentage of those who did not were kept in line and intimidated by all others, enough to never cause any actual issues.

But it was exactly that – Ruby's innocence and willingness to trust any and all people she saw – that worried Weiss most of all and called for her overprotectiveness of the girl. She could imagine Ruby as a young Queen, signing whatever treaty or document that came her way so long as the other party said "please".

She still had a long way to go in terms of being a ruler, but in terms of being a person – a human being and a huntress – Ruby Rose was second to none.

They reached the dining hall which consisted of a humble table with only three chairs on either side and one on each end, meant only for the royal family and the closest of aids.

The King was already present and in his seat at the head of the table, and Weiss bowed low to him in greeting. Ruby, on the other hand, rushed over to embrace her father, squealing a "gooood morniiiiing, Daddy!" to him.

And Weiss watched as he smiled; it was the only time he ever seemed to do so, whenever one or both of his daughters was with him.

As the legitimate princess and next in line for the throne, Ruby's seat was at the other end of the table, and Weiss stood behind her at her left shoulder.

"Weiss, just sit down!"

"I've already eaten."

"Okay, but still! Just take it easy for a second."

"Perhaps later."

"Ugh..."

The smell of food was thick on the air, wafting from the kitchen.

But just before it was brought out, the final pair to complete the puzzle revealed themselves.

Ruby's half-sister Yang appeared in a golden dress with her aide at her side. Her name was Blake, and she was a cat Faunus who dressed in darker clothes and kept her hair tied low.

"My _deepest_ apologies for being late," Yang said sheepishly as she yawned, throwing a hand back through her long hair. "I slept in a bit."

"I can see that," Weiss muttered.

Yang sauntered over to her father to give a kiss to his cheek before doing the same for Ruby. When she passed Weiss, the blonde teasingly tried to peck her as well, and Weiss needed to swat her away; Yang was not whom she had devoted her life and services to, so Weiss was allowed to treat her like a pest when she was insistent upon acting like one.

Yang chuckled as she took her seat.

"Geez, Weiss. When're you gonna lighten up, huh?"

"Probably around the same time you can learn to wake up on time."

"Ouch."

Ruby giggled at their squabble, and Blake then greeted her with a soft voice.

"Good morning, Princess."

"Morning, Blake. How are you?"

"I'm fine."

The Faunus girl then made eye-contact with Weiss and nodded. Weiss returned the gesture with a smile.

They had both come form very different walks of life, but had met their respective mistresses at much the same age, though Blake's circumstances were very different from her own.

Still, Weiss had grown up in the castle in her own quarters in order to keep a constant eye on Ruby, and Blake's story with Yang was just as similar.

The four of them were all very close behind closed doors, even if publicly they sometimes needed to keep up a bit of an act.

The King knew of their bonds, however, and he had accepted everything about them all.

Blake took her seat beside Yang, and eventually, even Weiss decided to sit down this morning.

Food was brought out, and casual conversations started up, discussions of plans for the day, news about the going-ons of the town and country.

But as they spoke, they made sure to savor their food, every flavorful bite.

They ate graciously, enjoying one another's company and presences; after all, they never knew which morning like this could be their last.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3 preview: <em>"Hey now... I might've saved you today, but if you go back out there, you're only gonna be putting yourself in danger again. So..." She gave a tug, pulling Blake closer. "So let me save your life a little longer."<em>**

**_Blake cocked her head to one side, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Yang gave her hand another squeeze._**

**_"Just trust me, okay?"_**

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 3: Troubled Pasts

**Bumblebee chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 3. Troubled Pasts<p>

It was still early – too damn early, in Yang's opinion – when she woke that morning.

She groaned a wheezing sigh as she blinked open her eyes, looking to the window shrouded in curtains, easily able to tell it would be a while yet till sunrise. She liked that she could still sleep a bit, but was annoyed at even having woken in the first place.

But there was _one_ good thing about waking up like this.

She rolled over onto her other side, and a familiar warmth bubbled up in her chest as she caught sight of the person beside her.

For about ten years now, she had never woken up alone, not once.

A girl with hair as dark as the night slept beside her, her Faunus ears flicking periodically as she dreamed. The moonlight cast smooth shadows over her pale white cheeks, and Yang listened to her soft breathing.

Yang closed the distance between them, pulling herself in closer and nestling into the girl's collar.

She remembered the first few months Blake had shared her bed, how she had always jolted awake screaming or crying due to nightmares. It was nothing new to Yang; when she was younger and still slept in the same bed as Ruby, her little sister often suffered from the same ailments.

But now – as it had been for several years – Bake's slumber was peaceful and deep, and Yang was relieved for that. Some nights, Blake's ease even rubbed off on her, and the blonde would sleep fully.

But not tonight, it seemed.

The blonde sighed again, holding a long kiss to the girl's neck before squeezing her waist lightly. She closed her eyes again, letting Blake's warmth calm her. Her mind started to drift off again, and it brought back images from ten years ago that only seemed like yesterday.

. . .

Yang had first met Blake when she was about eight years old.

That day, she had been out with Ruby and their guards, as even at such young ages, the princesses were brought out to see as much of their kingdom as they could, starting with the closest village.

A crowd always gathered around them to greet them, to see the young princesses and kiss their hands or offer small gifts. Yang always held onto her little sister's hand, each of their free hands taken by one of their two guards.

Yang always thought the guards were a little mean; she did not like them that much. They were always reprimanding her: "Miss Yang, please slow down a little. Princess Ruby can't keep up."

They always treated her like a nuisance; _she_ was not Vale's future Queen, after all.

But she was never jealous of Ruby; Yang did not want to be Queen, anyway. She knew she would be happy just being the Queen's big sister.

But still, the way some of the adults treated her only made her want to rebel more.

That day, Ruby had been bouncing around, begging to go to the bathroom. One guard had went off to ask the nearest resident of the village if they could intrude, the other guard hoisting Ruby up into his arms. Yang had been left behind as they turned their backs, and she had taken the opportunity to flee; she never planned to go far, just around a few corners, just to be _free_ for a minute or two.

So she zipped through the legs of the passerby and street vendors, breaking from the crowd until she found herself in an empty alley.

Well, she had thought it was empty, until she heard the harsh laughter of fellow children.

It sounded like a fight – she had heard enough of them to know a harmless one from a hurtful one, and this was definitely the latter.

She rushed off, kicking up dust and soot behind her and rounded the corner.

There were four children, all of them Faunus, and three boys stood over a small girl, kicking and pushing her and pulling her ears as they yelled at her.

"You're worthless! At least if you join the White Fang you can die in a fight instead of on the streets!"

"Yeah! You should just die for Vale like your parents did!"

"You're gonna die anyway, stupid!"

"No!" The girl screamed, smacking their hands away. "Queen Summer said it was bad! She said we can't fight the Grimm and kill them all! She said we should only fight when we _have _to! We can't kill them all or else the world will be imbalanced and the Dragon will come back!"

"Shut up!"

"If you die in a battle, then someone else gets to live another day! That's heroic, isn't it? Better than dying in a gutter!"

Yang could tell they were trying to drag the girl away, likely to wherever the White Fang was going to hold a secret meeting. If she told someone, they could follow these children and learn where the group of radicals was hiding out and hopefully stop some of their activities.

She could have run back to fetch the guards.

They could have organized a search party to snuff out the White Fang.

But Yang could not bare the thought of letting that girl get hurt another second.

"_HEY!_" She shouted and stormed over to them, gaining all three boys' attention. "What kinda cowards pick on someone who won't fight back?"

"Huh?" one boy scoffed. "_She's_ the coward cause she won't _even_ fight back!"

"No!" Yang growled. "_She's_ the smart one cause she's _choosing_ not to fight back! And you guys should respect that and leave her alone!"

It was then one of them seemed to recognize who Yang was.

"Uh-oh." He nudged the other two and whispered something to them.

Yang took another step forward, feeling the anger flowing through her veins. It made her so angry to see that girl hurt so badly, one of her teeth lying on the ground, blood spattered around her as she coughed.

It was the first time Yang had ever gotten so angry.

When Ruby got nightmares, she would get scared, when the guards ignored her, she could get frustrated or ultimately indifferent.

But this was _rage_.

That was the first time her semblance was activated.

Suddenly, her long, golden hair started to rise up around her, and the breath from her mouth became hot and steamy. Her eyes burned red, fists clenching at her sides as she took another threatening step toward the Faunus boys.

And there was not a shred of doubt in her mind that she could beat them all if she wanted to.

They scattered and ran off yelping almost too quickly, and Yang might have spared a minute to be disappointed if it had not been for the girl still lying at her shoes.

The fire inside of the blonde girl subsided, her eyes regaining their natural lavender tint. She got to her knees, helping the Faunus girl sit up.

"Hey, are you okay? Where does it hurt? Have you unlocked your aura yet?"

The girl slumped in her arms, still looking confused and a little scared about it all, her ears flat and trembling against her head.

"A-Aura?" she repeated nervously.

"Oh, so you don't know about it? Okay just hold on a second."

Yang reached up and gently pressed the fingertips of one hand over the girl's forehead, her other hand finding the ones in her lap. Yang murmured a chant of sorts, something she had learned to recite and memorized only a year ago, the words that would unlock someone else's aura.

She could feel the flow of energy inside of herself, letting it reach out to the Faunus girl. Yang felt her jump a little bit, and she remembered the first time her father had unlocked her own aura, how it had felt a little strange, so she knew the girl was a bit frightened.

But her stiff shoulders soon relaxed under Yang's touch, and at last the blonde girl pulled away.

"There. It probably feels a little weird, but your aura's unlocked now! See, look!" She held up the girl's arm and had her look down to where the scratches were starting to heal. The Faunus girl's eyes blinked wide in disbelief, and Yang chuckled a little. "What? You didn't know about aura all this time?"

"N-No..." she gasped. "Well, I knew about it but... I tried all this time to unlock it by myself and I couldn't... I thought I didn't have any. I thought I wasn't good enough..."

"That's not it at all!" Yang reassured her. "_Everyone_ has an aura – even animals. Just not Grimm. But you can't unlock it yourself; it's a gift someone else has to give you!" She lowered her voice a little. "Your parents never unlocked yours for you?"

The girl went silent for a moment, and Yang wondered why until she recalled what one of the boys had said earlier.

"My parents... died when I was young," the Faunus girl explained. "They always took care of me, but then the White Fang forced them in as recruits and put them on the front lines. They... never came home..."

Tears started welling up in her eyes, and Yang bit her bottom lip hard.

For some reason, seeing this girl cry was like seeing Ruby cry and she could not bare it.

The Faunus girl covered her face with her small hands and hiccuped. "A-And now... they're trying to recruit me, too. Cause I'm useless and I'd be... better off dying instead of eating more food that other, better people could be eating. They're gonna get me soon too and I'll be dead just like my parents. It's only a matter of time- A-And I wanna be with my parents again, but I don't wanna die!"

She was sobbing now, knees pulled to her chest as she wailed. Yang tasted blood in her mouth, and she felt anger swirling up inside of her.

"Those White Fang..." she growled. "They act like they're all high and mighty, but they're really just breaking the Queen's law! And they're basically murdering people!"

The girl beside her nodded her head, looking helplessly up at her.

Yang tried to think quickly, refusing to let this girl go back into these stinky alleys by herself only to get dragged away in the night.

She could only think of one thing that might have a good chance at working.

The other girl's whimpering brought Yang back to the present, and she slid closer, wrapping a tentative arm around her shaking shoulders.

"Shhh, it's okay. You're gonna be okay," she soothed. "What's your name?"

The Faunus girl sniffled and coughed before finding her voice again.

"Blake..."

Yang grinned.

"Hey, that's a pretty name!"

"...P-Pretty?"

"Yeah!"

Blake was humbled to the point of silence. All of the other Faunus children who lived in the slums were always picking on her, saying her name was "gross" or "boring".

This was the first time she had ever heard "pretty."

Her lips started to curl in the beginnings of a smile, and Yang gave her an encouraging squeeze, wanting to see more of it.

"My name's Yang!" she beamed.

But her introduction did not go as planned.

Instead of smiling all the way, Blake immediately frowned, gasping as her ears that had started to lift fell flat again.

"M-Miss Yang?!" Her voice sounded almost terrified, and Yang felt the girl quickly scramble away. Blake got onto her hands and knees before folding herself over, bringing her forehead to the ground in a deep bow. "F-Forgive me! I didn't realize it was you, Princess Yang! For you to h-have gone out of your way for a lowly Faunus like myself..."

"Hey, hey!" Yang reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, feeling Blake flinch. "Don't worry about it! I'd do the same for anyone being bullied, Faunus or human or whatever! And you're not _lowly_. Just because you're alone doesn't mean you're a lesser person than anyone else." She put her other hand on Blake's opposite shoulder. "Please sit up. I can't stand it when people bow down to me. I'm no one special..."

Blake peeked slowly up at her, one ear flicking before she slowly lifted herself up off the ground. Her eyes flashed nervously around until at last they met Yang's.

"But... But you _are_ someone special. You're one of the princesses of Vale!"

The blonde girl only shrugged.

"Well yeah, I _guess_..." she muttered. "But I'm not the _real_ princess. That's Ruby. I'm just a half-princess. A fake. A backup in case something happens to her, but nothing ever will because I'm gonna protect her no matter what. And I'm okay with that. I can help her out, but there's no way_ I _could ever run this place. Ruby's been raised to be the future Queen all her life, so she's gonna be used to it. But me... heh, they kinda don't care too much about what I do, so long as I put on a dress once a month for the banquets."

Blake listened in silence, slowly moving back over to press her back against the wall of the alley beside her.

"...You're not a fake. You're you. And you're real." Her hand went down, paused, and then covered the distance to Yang's fingers. "You _are_ a princess. And a very nice one at that."

Yang looked up just in time to see the flash of her smile, and it warmed her heart. She blinked back what she felt were tears and tried to smile as well.

"Thanks." It was the first time someone else had validated her being a princess, and it felt nice. "That was... the first time anyone's ever called me "Princess." It sounded weird, but kinda cool!"

Blake's tense shoulders finally relaxed altogether.

"And... that was the first time... anyone's ever helped me out. Or said my name was pretty."

"Well yeah!" Yang grinned. "You're a pretty girl, so of course you've got a pretty name to match!"

Her words sent a bright red blush over Blake's cheeks, her ears flicking about, not knowing what to do with themselves.

"P-Princess-"

"Ehh you don't have to call me that. That's what the adults call me. Just call me Yang!"

"...But... But that's so improper for me-"

"Hey, don't worry about what the rest of Vale thinks about it." Yang took both of her hands and lifted them up into hers. "I'm saying it's okay, so it's okay!"

Blake's gaze went to the ground again, her hands trembling a little bit. It took her a few minutes, but Yang waited patiently until at last their eyes met again.

"Y...Yang...?"

"Yeah, yeah! Just like that!" The blonde girl threw her arms around Blake in a zealous hug. The Faunus squeaked – panicked – until she pulled away. But Yang's face was covered with a wide smile, and when Blake looked long enough, she could feel a warm feeling budding in her chest.

But then, her keen ears picked up on a sound; it was voices and they were calling out Yang's name.

She instantly tried to pull her hands away, yanking herself free.

"They're looking for you! I need to go-!" She got to her feet, stumbling a bit. She turned her back but paused just a second to look over her shoulder. "You... thank you for saving my life, Princess Yang."

And with that she tore off.

But Yang was not about to let her go.

"Wait!" She stood quickly and took off after her.

Yang was well-fed and had training lessons every day, and Blake was clearly tired and weak. Yang caught her quickly, grabbing hold of her wrist. Blake stopped, panting as she turned to look back at her slowly. Yang was grinning again.

"Hey now... I might've saved you today, but if you go back out there, you're only gonna be putting yourself in danger again. So..." She gave a tug, pulling Blake closer. "So let me save your life a little longer."

Blake cocked her head to one side, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. Yang gave her hand another squeeze.

"Just trust me, okay?"

And Blake did.

Because for the first time in her life, she felt she truly could rely on someone.

Yang had led her back to the frantically-searching guards who had Ruby in tow. They had cried out in relief to find Yang unharmed, scolded her a bit, then demanded to know what had happened.

Yang told them everything, all the while keeping a tight hold on Blake's hand, knowing the Faunus girl was nervous at being in the presence of royal guards.

When Yang finally finished her story, she got to the real part she had wanted to say.

"And-" she said loudly. "You have been telling me I should soon pick out an aide. And I have." She pulled Blake forward and presented her to them. "This girl is Blake, and she's going to be my personal aide from now on."

It had caused a bit of an uproar – one of the princesses of Vale choosing a Faunus as her aide.

But Yang's decision to take Blake in as an honorary member of the royal family had been a major turning point in Vale's history.

After that, Faunus were treated with more respect, more were given jobs and offered opportunities.

And Blake was given new clothes, warm meals, and a soft, safe place to sleep.

And Yang had gotten the only thing she had ever wanted; a friend.

. . .

As the memories played through her mind, Yang had started drifting off back to sleep.

Blake's breathing was soft against her temple, her heartbeat slow beneath her ear.

But before Yang could succumb to sleep again, her efforts at slumber were thwarted once more.

It was the image of a great beast, a terrifying roar filling her ears as massive wings spread, its fangs snapping as they stretched out for her-

She gasped, eyes flying wide open to find herself still in bed. Her panic had jolted Blake from her rest as well, and the Faunus girl quickly looked down at her partner.

"Yang?"

She brushed the sticky bangs away from her charge's forehead. Yang's skin was burning and wet with residue from sweat, her eyes wide and rimmed with crimson. Blake moved herself down until she was eye-level with her, cupping her cheeks gently.

"Yang? Calm down. It's okay. It was just a nightmare."

Blake leaned in, pressing a long kiss to Yang's lips in an effort to snap her out of her torment. Yang's breath was hot in her mouth, and Blake knew by now how to handle this sort of thing.

She kissed her softly before pulling back, waiting, and repeating the process for several minutes until at last Yang's eyes returned to their natural color, albeit slightly glazed. Still, the Faunus continued to press kisses to the girl's forehead until her abnormally-high body temperature began to drop. Blake held her tightly until Yang let out a long sigh.

"Yang... are you okay?"

The princess nodded against her shoulder.

"Yeah. Sorry for wakin' ya."

"Don't worry about it."

Blake had vowed to dedicate her life to Yang years and years ago; if losing sleep meant her partner felt better, Blake would gladly become an insomniac.

When her semblance was back under control, Yang lifted her head again to kiss Blake's cheek.

"Thanks. I don't know where I'd be without you."

"Well I know for sure _I'd_ be dead."

"I might be, too," Yang sighed.

Blake kissed her again, running her hands up and down her back, through her mussed mane of hair that put the circus' best lions to shame.

"You're okay, Yang. I'm here. Just go back to sleep."

Yang nodded and nestle gratefully into her collar.

"Yeah. You, too..."

They slept soundly for the rest of the morning, until the sun rose and signified that they would need to get out of bed.

They felt much more refreshed as they pushed themselves up, ruffling hair and ears affectionately.

They helped one another to their feet, supporting and being supported, then took turns freshening up and getting changed before heading down to breakfast.

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><p><strong>AN: The whole concept of someone else needing to unlock your aura for you is pretty much just exclusive to this story and chapter to demonstrate Yang and Blake's bond.**

**Chapter 4 preview: _A short walk away from the castle grounds was a vast expanse of smooth, open property that stretched out behind a large building, its size bested only by the royal castle itself._**

**_This was where Vale's troops trained. It was a constantly busy place, lined with stables full of the best horses. While some of Vale's police force were out preventing crime and rallies to the best of their abilities in town, here was where the soldiers trained to prepare for battle against the Grimm._**

**Please review!**


	5. Chapter 4: The Streets And Stables

**A/N: As you'll see in this chapter, the usual weapons aren't present in this AU, only Weiss' rapier because she has special circumstances. The others only have swords, no scythes or gauntlets or the like.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 4. The Streets And Stables<p>

Once breakfast was finished, the four girls headed out into the kingdom.

It was routine that Ruby and Yang would walk the streets, or on occasion take their horses out and ride around to survey the town. It was in this way they could gather information about the going-ons of the town, discover where a new baby had been born or at what section of the town an illness seemed to be spreading.

Of course, carrier pigeons brought urgent news directly to the King's window, but the princesses preferred to go out in person to communicate with their people.

This morning, they simply walked, bound for one place in particular.

Ruby liked to hold onto Weiss' arm, as though she were being escorted somewhere, which technically she was, but Weiss hardly liked to play along. She took her job very seriously, and the only time Ruby ever really saw her laugh was after sundown when she could finally shed her armor – and even that was rare.

While the relationship between the future queen and her knight was very formal, the one between the half-princess and her aide was less so.

Blake trod in Yang's shadow, always keeping a foot or so of distance between them. She always had, in all the ten years since she had been living at the castle, and unlike Weiss, she wore no armor; she liked to keep her stature light and swift in accordance to her semblance.

Initially, Yang had assumed the Faunus girl was intimidated by her, or perhaps was scared of her, so she stayed behind.

But an attempt on the blonde's life once about eight years ago had demonstrated clearly why Blake behaved the way she did. From a bit of a distance, Blake focused less on Yang herself, and more on the people around her, her superior hearing and eyesight always on full alert. She was constantly suspicious and never fully trusted anyone, not even Ruby or Weiss.

Only Yang.

So when a man had suddenly jumped from the crowd and pulled a dagger on the half-princess, before anyone else could even blink or begin to comprehend what was afoot, Blake had already turned the blade back on the perpetrator's own throat and immobilized him with unsuspected strength.

The incident had reached every whisper of every nook and cranny of the kingdom, and after that it was a well-known fact that Blake Belladonna was no ordinary servant. Her skills were akin to that of an assassin, but she used them only when absolutely necessary as a bodyguard.

And it had been eight years since an attempt on Yang Xiao Long's life had been – unsuccessfully – made.

But the man who had tried to kill Yang had been lucky, as Blake's sharp, terrifying stealth had only made him soil his breaches before the authorities arrived to take him to prison.

The men who had once attacked Ruby Rose however, had not been so lucky.

As the future queen, Ruby was a popular target for attacks every once in a while. She was highly-trained, her mentors in self-defense having been the very best in all of Vale, but even on all nine attempts on her life thus far, she had not once gotten the chance to display her skills.

Weiss never gave her the chance.

The white-haired knight was ruthless when it came to defending her princess.

Every attack had happened outside the security of the castle walls, often on daily rounds just like today's. And not a single one of said attackers had been hauled away by authorities without his own blood on him.

Weiss was permitted by law to kill anyone who dared attack Ruby, and she abided by her contract with dire intensity. If Ruby came away from it all with so much as a scratch on her hand or a speck of dust on her dress, Weiss had failed.

If she ever allowed harm to come to Ruby, Weiss had vowed to gladly accept a termination of position, exile, or even execution, depending on what punishment the King saw fit for her.

Weiss never wanted to see the girl hurt in any way, and so she fought to defend both Ruby's life and her own.

But more so than anything else, she fought to defend their relationship, their unique closeness that was allowed only between a princess and her most loyal knight.

No one else had ever held Weiss' position before, and she refused to ever let anyone else stand beside Ruby so long as Weiss herself drew breath. And even after she had perished – if she were to do so before Ruby – Weiss would still do her damnedest to protect her even as a celestial being.

Hit-men, organized groups, or even just bloodthirsty stragglers - none of them had been successful in so much as misplacing a hair on Ruby's head. Weiss could draw her rapier faster than lighting could strike, and while Dust was a very rare and dangerous mineral, she was one of the only persons in all of Vale who possessed a license to use it legally.

She had stabbed feet, kicked ribs, twisted arms until they snapped, blasted ice and fire and whatever else she deemed necessary to keep Ruby out of harm's way.

But it had been two years since the last attack to claim Ruby's life, and Weiss was beginning to believe that perhaps people had finally gotten the message.

Ruby Rose was not to be trifled with, and Weiss Schnee was a force to be reckoned with.

Presently, the four girls made their way to their destination this morning, uninterrupted, much like they had been every day for the last two years.

Ruby would stop every five seconds to talk to the swarm of children that came scampering up to her, offering all kinds of things in their chipper, cheery voices.

"Princess Rose! I picked these wildflowers for you!"

"My mother made some fresh bread this morning! Please take some!"

And Ruby accepted all of their gifts graciously, tucking them all away into a small basket she had kept on her arm in advance. A few of the children went to Weiss as well, admiring her professionalism.

"She's the coolest!"

"If you even try to touch the Princess, Miss Weiss'll freeze you from the inside out!"

"Or she'll stab you faster than lightning!"

It was the same routine every morning, and the children never got sick of it.

However, that did not mean Weiss let her guard down; she had heard many tales of children trained to be innocent-looking faces that could get close to a person of power, only to reveal a knife hidden under their shirts. She kept close to Ruby, surveying the children and their waiting parents like an eagle.

Yang got visitors as well, but more so than gifts, she got compliments.

"Your hair is the prettiest in all of Remnant!"

"And your jokes are so funny!"

And Yang would chuckle and crack a few lines here and there, shaking the hands of children who were brave enough to ask, or sometimes accepting hugs from them; Weiss did not allow any hugs for Ruby, so they tended to go to Yang instead.

Several Faunus children flocked to Blake, and she would take one eye off of Yang for a moment to crouch down and speak to them.

"Miss Blake, I want to grow up to work in the castle like you!"

"I don't want to join the White Fang..."

The matters Blake dealt with were very different than those of the other three. She needed to lower her voice, offer calming reassurance and gentle pats on the heads. Her stomach always twisted at the thought of these children suffering the same fate she was almost forced to accept, being dragged away in the night by the White Fang.

Often, losing a parent and having no one to protect them made a Faunus child much more likely to be taken by the group of radicals, and a Faunus parent's greatest fear was that their child would be snatched away from them in broad daylight.

When people simply went to join the White Fang of their own volition, things had not been so bad. But now the group was running low on numbers and had resorted to kidnapping, and holding covert rallies to recruit new members.

While Faunus were the most popular targets, some humans did join the mix as well.

Blake was well-aware of the efforts the kingdom was putting into finding and intercepting such gatherings, but only a few instances of undercover investigation had proven successful; the majority of attempts to thwart the White Fang's plans had resulted in capturing only a minimal number of those involved and a great percentage was able to flee.

She knew it was going to take time and funds and bodies in order to fully stop the White Fang, and all three of those were valuable resources Vale could not afford to waste frivolously.

Blake felt personally responsible for these children, but the best she could do was offer soft hugs and even softer words.

It was a few minutes before the crowds died down, and Weiss took up the lead once more.

A short walk away from the castle grounds was a vast expanse of smooth, open property that stretched out behind a large building, its size bested only by the royal castle itself.

This was where Vale's troops trained. It was a constantly busy place, lined with stables full of the best horses. While some of Vale's police force were out preventing crime and rallies to the best of their abilities in town, here was where the soldiers trained to prepare for battle against the Grimm.

But while the White Fang attacked the Grimm unprovoked, the army only went into battle if the beasts made a move first; they fought only for self-defense.

It had been a few weeks since the four girls had last visited here, so their appearance today was warmly welcomed. The guards at the entrance bowed low to them as Weiss led them inside.

A familiar man with gray hair and glasses greeted them inside. This was the very same man who had discovered so much about Summer's curse in the past, and Ruby knew him very well.

"Hello, General Ozpin!"

Weiss groaned.

"Princess, let them greet you first, please!"

"Oh, sorry!"

Ozpin only chuckled, waving a hand toward his office to bring out his partner, the one and only Glynda Goodwitch. Ozpin may have been the head of the military officially, but she was the one who kept the troops of huntsmen and huntresses in line with her sharp, commanding voice and unforgiving riding crop whip.

Ozpin looked over the four girls before him and gave a nod.

"Princess Rose, Miss Long. It is an honor to be accommodating you again today along with Miss Schnee and Miss Belladonna."

Glynda dipped her head as well.

"Our troops have improved in their skills since your last visit, though it may not appear that way."

"I'm sure they're doing great!" Ruby beamed. "We'd like to observe their training for a while this morning, if that's okay!"

"Certainly," Glynda agreed. "Go right on ahead to your squad's training area."

"Thank you!"

Ruby took off scampering, evidently having forgotten she was wearing formal attire and nearly falling flat on her face had it not been for Weiss all but predicting her fall and hoisting her back up.

"Please, Princess..." she sighed. "Remember that today isn't a day for training. You're merely here to observe. And let me remind you you'll need to write a brief paper addressing the improvements or regressions about the training lessons you witness today once we get back to the castle."

"Uuugh, Weiss why did you have to remind meee?"

"Because I knew you'd try to forget it."

Ruby whimpered as Weiss led her onward through the building toward the back exit where the sounds of mock battle could already be heard.

Yang sauntered up on her sister's other side.

"Hey, look on the bright side, lil' sis! You don't have to write a review until later! So for now, just enjoy the action!"

"And," Blake added. "I believe the four of us are scheduled for our weekly lessons in just three more days. So at that time, we'll be back here and won't need to write anything for it."

"I guess..." Ruby sniffled pitiably.

The four of them made their way outside.

Miles of open field lay before them, fenced off and divided into separate areas. Every section had different training lessons going on. Warriors fought one-on-one or in groups, on foot or on horseback. Targets made to resemble Grimm monsters were set up, commanders of each squad shouting orders or calling encouragement to their fighters.

Three teams of four often comprised a squad, and so most fighters trained together to get a feeling for chemistry. The majority of soldiers were human, but there were a few handfuls of skilled Faunus as well; their heightened senses were a massive advantage for hearing the enemy miles away and spotting them on the rare occasion of a nighttime attack.

There was a structure of stairs that led to a small balcony of sorts for spectators, and that was where Ruby and the others headed to now. A few benches sat there, and Yang and Blake both took seats to observe things while Weiss stood beside her charge who bounced up and down.

No matter how many hours of how many days of how many years Ruby had seen the same routines, she never got sick of the battlefield.

She loved her kingdom and its people, loved walking around town every morning, and even the paperwork was not so bad as long as Weiss could give her a hand.

But she was a huntress at heart, just like her mother had been, and her nearly-infallible skills were demonstrated on a weekly basis when she partook in her own training lessons.

It took a fairly good amount of Weiss' strength to hold her back presently and keep her from leaping over the balcony to join in the action.

"Princess, _please_. Must I remind you you're not in uniform for combat right now?"

"Can ya blame her?" Yang sighed. "These dresses can get a little stifling at times. Or like... _all_ the time."

"Rather than gripe, how about we observe the training?" Weiss huffed.

Yang chuckled.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Look." Blake's soft call alerted the three of them, and they followed the direction of the tips of her ears.

The four of them were far from being the only young huntresses in Vale. There were a few other teams they often had the pleasure of training with.

Pyrrha Nikos was one of the military's best fighters, strong, fearless, unwavering. Her armor was golden, rimmed with crimson that matched the whipping flow of her hair that snapped in the wind behind her as she rode. The precision with which she swung her sword, the power with which she handled her shield, and the overall ferocity and beauty with which she fought gave a new image to the phrase "goddess of war."

With hundreds of positive marks on her record over the past eight years since she had become a warrior, she was nearly undefeated. It wasn't necessarily easy for someone like her to fight off Grimm without killing them, but almost every monster that crossed her path was frightened off and sent running. Her strength and skill were equivalent to that of a one-woman army, and she fought valiantly alongside her teammates and companions.

Jaune Arc was average at best, and amateur at worst. His armor looked too large for his lanky body, and his shaggy yellow hair often hung down over his eyes, which more often than not resulted in a graceless fall from his horse.

But despite the fact that he had fallen just about as many times as Pyrrha had marks, Jaune was known to always get back up. Though his horse did not always trot back at his whistle and he often was forced to run after it on foot or wait for someone else to round it up, he never stopped striving for improvement, and that was a valuable characteristic of his.

Even now, he trained alongside Pyrrha, sword in hand as he tried to hold onto the reins with the other.

The crimson-haired warrior galloped her dark-chocolate stallion named Milo beside Crocea, Jaune's speckled gray one. All the while she called out encouragement to him, fixed his posture and stance, recommended a different way of holding his weapon or controlling his mount.

They were almost inseparable, both on and off the battlefield, and the same could be said for their other two teammates.

Nora Valkyrie did her name justice, though one would never assume as much judging by her appearance; armor painted pink with only faint traces of white visible, her light gray stallion's tail and mane tied with ribbons of similar colors. She had even taken the liberty to paint her sword and sheath various shades of pink. She was a bit of a loose cannon, but during a battle, her skills were much appreciated and needed.

It was almost humorous how neatly her horse's personality matched that of his rider's. She had named him Magnhild, and there was a sparky bounce to his trot, more akin to a prance, and Nora had trained him since the first day she had gotten him.

While Pyrrha's and Jaune's tactics were more of planning and strategy, Nora's was of brute strength and brutality. Her partner Ren kept to her shadow on his shaggy, black mare called Storm. He was one of the few warriors that wielded two swords, and his precision and cunning were a frightening sight to behold. When he was not keeping pace with his energetic partner, he was like a viper waiting to strike, swift and deadly.

The team of four was one of Vale's best, give or take a few falls into the mud. Their squad was named JNPR, and there were dozens of other four-man teams as well, all training out in the open fields.

Ruby and her companions also had their own squad name – RWBY – for the few days a week when they had battle training on the very same training camps.

They knew all of the other teams – as Vale's princesses, it was critical that Ruby and Yang be aware of their kingdom's soldiers – but the four girls tended to train mostly with JNPR.

Presently, the two sisters waved to their friends in greeting as they hung themselves over the balcony, leaving Weiss and Blake to keep a hand on their shoulders to prevent them from tumbling over.

Pyrrha caught sight of them first and raised her arm to signal to the rest of her team to halt.

"Five minute break!" she called out. "We've got visitors!"

She walked Milo over to the stands as the four girls looked down to offer greetings.

"Good morning, Pyrrha!" Ruby beamed. "How're things coming along?"

"She's got to write a paper," Weiss put in helpfully.

"Ugh, don't remind meeeee!"

Pyrrha laughed at the exchange between them, a hearty sound like angels singing that made even Blake smile in return.

"You four are as grand as always, I see! Things are going well! It's been almost a month since there's been a Grimm attack for us to see to, so we've been working on new formations and changing up the partnerships a bit."

The rest of her team – even Jaune – remained on horseback as they went to the stands as well.

"So Nora," Yang grinned. "Refresh me. What's your fight count again?"

"After the last attack hmmm..." She put a finger to her chin and pondered for a moment. "I doooo believe it's up to seventy-eight!" She puffed out her chest proudly. Her numbers were not as high as soldiers like Pyrrha's, but she still surpassed the average fighter whose numbers ended up somewhere in the thirties or lower. But a fight count was not the same as a kill count; soldiers were dissuaded from killing the Grimm, but often kept track of how many they engaged in a skirmish.

"Not bad," Yang shrugged. "Though if I didn't have to be in the castle most days of the week, I'd've beaten you ages ago."

"Mmmmaybe~" Nora sang. "But just because you're a princess doesn't mean I'll go easy on you!"

"Wouldn't have it any other way."

There had always been a friendly competition between the two of them.

Likewise, their respective partners shared a special bond as well.

Blake leaned carefully over the balcony, ears perked forward, her black and deep-violet clothes a perfect match to Ren's dark armor and coal-colored horse.

"Ren," she greeted, dipping her head respectfully. "How have you been?"

"Same as ever," he replied kindly. "Still trying to keep up with that one." His head nodded sideways toward his partner. "Have you gotten a chance to read that book I told you about?"

"I have. I found it in the main library just where you said it would be. It was very captivating..."

They continued their quieter conversation as their respective partners' voices carried on louder notes.

Weiss kept hold of Ruby's red hood to prevent her from falling out of the stands as she chatted eagerly with Jaune and Pyrrha.

"It's kinda weird," she was saying. "The Grimm attacks used to be so frequent! Now there's almost an entire month in between?"

"Are you complaining?" Weiss grumbled.

"I agree with you, Princess," Pyrrha nodded. "But I believe it's best not to think too much into it. The fewer attacks there are, the fewer risks there are of losing lives."

"Yeah, you're right," the young girl nodded. Her smile faded and she leaned back, stepping just an inch closer to Weiss, but her altered expression did not go unnoticed by the white-haired knight. Ruby's voice dropped so that only her aide could hear her. "I just... can't help but feel-"

Suddenly, a loud sound cut off her words, drowning out all sounds completely. It was the hollow ringing of a horn, one that only went off for one reason.

Pyrrha's emerald eyes went wide.

"Grimm."

Jaune nearly fell off his unmoving horse.

"W-What? But how? Why now?"

"There's never any jurisdiction for an attack from them," Pyrrha reminded him. "And with the wait we've had this time, it was bound to be soon."

Weiss was already pulling Ruby closer to her by the wrist.

"They're probably by the Emerald Forest again. There's never been an attack from any other side." Pyrrha turned her horse around and started shouting orders to any nearby teams. "Get into position with your squads at the gates and wait for orders from the Generals!"

Only seconds later, there was motion at the nearby stables as horses were brought forth and riders rushed to them. Ozpin and Glynda were already giving orders and organizing the troops.

Team JNPR promptly said their farewells before taking off.

Weiss turned to the remaining three girls in the stands.

"We should head back to the castle. It's highly unlikely that the Grimm will get past and invade the town, but we can't be too cautious- _Princess!_"

Her voice raised into a screech as she realized her charge had slipped from her side. Ruby had waved over the nearest stablehand and was speaking excitedly.

"Bring me my horse!"

"And mine!" Yang called out as well.

"_Excuse me?!" _Weiss shrieked. "You two are _not _going into battle! Look at yourselves! You're not dressed! You've got no armor-"

"Oh, c'mooon, Weiss!" Yang whined. "It's been _forever_ since we've gotten to see some action."

"And it's _my_ job to keep-"

"Princess Rose!" the stablehand called up. "Your horse!"

"Oh, thank you!"

Ignoring Weiss' outraged cry completely, Ruby hopped over the balcony's railing and jumped down into the waiting saddle. It was a miracle she had not stepped on her dress and fallen to her death.

She threw her arms around the red-chestnut mare and nuzzled into her mane.

"Ooooh, Crescent! How's my good girl? I've missed riding you! Let's go kick some monster butt!"

"_Princess!_" Weiss shouted down at her. "I _insist_ you dismount this instant and-"

"Yeah!" Yang's whooping cheer cut her off. "There's my handsome pal! What a good boy!" She followed her brazen sister's lead and leapt down into the saddle of her golden stallion, Ember.

Weiss felt she might faint.

"I'm being all too serious!" she cried. "Despite your impressive skills on the battlefield I must disagree with your actions and _insist_ you-"

"Weiss." A pacifying hand was placed on her shoulder, and the girl looked to her side to find Blake smiling hopelessly at her. "There's no stopping them now."

The stablehand had already brought out each of their respective white and black horses, and Ruby and Yang looked expectantly up at their partners.

Weiss met Blake's eyes wearily, then shot icy glares to the two princesses before heaving a long-suffering sigh.

"Very well," she complied before turning pointedly to Ruby. "But I want _three_ written pages when this is all over!"

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><p><strong>AN: Since they don't have their usual weapons (just swords) in this AU, at least they have horses!**

**Chapter 5 preview: _Blake jumped off her horse beside Yang, drawing her sword as the half-princess pounded her knuckles together and did the same, giving a holler:_**

**_"I've been waiting for this for a while!" She bent down to tear off the excess length of her dress up to her knees and tossed the material aside, giving her much better mobility on foot. Her hair took on a heated glow, and within seconds, flames licked at the air around her, her eyes going red._**

**Please review!**


	6. Chapter 5: Silent Battle

**Alright! Finally time for some action! And some other things~ Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 5. Silent Battle<p>

The soldiers got into formation, and after Ozpin and Glynda had accepted Ruby's and Yang's wishes to join in the battle, the two princesses and their aides were put at the heart of the troops for ensured protection.

The four of them did have battle training after all, and when the future Queen herself requested to go into battle, following precisely in her mother's footsteps, there was no way she could be denied.

They'd all mounted their horses who moved restlessly in place; even their steeds could sense the oncoming battle and were eager to get moving.

Despite the sisters' griping, Weiss had managed to get them into the bare minimum of armor. Ruby was handed her scarlet-hilted sword which she sheathed at her hip. Likewise, Yang and Blake did the same for their blades.

Weiss was the only one of the four who carried her weapon - her special rapier - at all times, though it was clear that Blake could hide an occasional dagger on her person quite often if not constantly.

But it was impossible to deny that it felt _good_ to have her team beside her going into battle. The sense of companionship here was second to none, and Weiss loved the rapport and the chemistry it all demonstrated. She could trust her companions with her life, but she was also under oath to give her own for Ruby.

And Ruby was well-aware of this, which was why she was always nervous about going into battle, scared she would make some kind of foolish mistake and Weiss would be the one to pay for it.

But she shook her head and forced herself not to think about such things. She could handle herself.

Weiss kept her horse beside Ruby's as Glynda called for attention and began giving a brief overview of the situation at hand; about 50 reported Grimm, mostly the usual Ursai and Beowulves, but allegedly Boarbatusk as well.

Overall, they were the common types; it was the rarer Death Stalkers and King Taijitu that were worrying, and even more so than that were the Giant Nevermores. But judging by what she said, it sounded like a fairly easy fight.

"And remember," Glynda was saying quickly as she finished up her speech. "We are not aiming to kill the Grimm, but merely deflect them and keep them out of Vale. Keep to your ranks and do not be caught alone. Move out!"

The order was given, and the cheers and roars went up before the front lines took off after their commanding officers.

Blake trotted up beside Yang, moving their horses close enough so she could lean over and quickly kiss her princess' cheek for good measure before they directed their steeds to the gates.

The horses followed in fast lines down a specific path that cut through the streets of Vale. The town was already starting to clear now as the citizens retreated to their homes to find shelter, providing an easy run for the horses as they charged toward the outskirts of the town, bound for the surrounding forests.

Overall, there were ten troops dispatched, with a total of one hundred and twenty soldiers going into battle while the renaming number stayed behind to defend the town should any beasts slip through the ranks. Soldiers who had been injured in training incidents and were still recovering, or newer recruits stayed in the barracks.

But for the rest of them, it was exhilarating to finally be able to get a chance to fight again.

The Emerald forest was soon in sight, and there was no need for silence or stealth as the trampling hooves thundered over the red clay earth. The soldiers split up into groups of twelve and fanned out in different directions based on Ozpin's orders.

RWBY stuck close to JNPR and CFVY, and the latter two teams were certain to keep the two princesses at the center of the formation.

Ruby was silent as she tried to contain her bubbling excitement at finally being able to fight alongside her friends again.

As she rode, she glanced to the sides, noticing fallen trees and unnatural clearings, evidence of previous battles. Ahead of her, Velvet – a rabbit Faunus – shouted something to Pyrrha who then addressed them all, yelling over her shoulder.

"About one hundred more feet and we'll engage them! Everyone stay together and don't die!"

The unanimous, "Yes, ma'am!" echoed out over the sounds of the thundering hooves, and it was not much longer before the human ear picked up on the sounds of snarling and howling not far ahead.

Weiss met Ruby's eye and called a plea to her.

"Please, Princess. Don't run off on your own. Stay beside me or wherever it's safest."

"Don't worry~!" Ruby smiled.

"Saying that has the opposite effect!"

Ruby might have laughed a little bit, but Weiss couldn't be certain, for just then was when the Grimm appeared before them. Their black bodies tore through the trees, furious roars shaking the air that was already trembling from the constant motion all around.

Whinnies went up as the riders hollered battle cries, similar sounds easily heard dozens of yards to either side as other troops engaged the beasts as well.

Depending on their skill level, some soldiers preferred to stay on horseback for added speed and power with their attacks.

Jaune and Pyrrha were two of such fighters, charging directly into the oncoming creatures, with swords out to either side, swerving sideways and crouching low behind their horses until their blades made contact with thick, black flesh.

Likewise, Nora chose to keep to her horse, using the animal's back as a propulsion to jump off high into the air. She was one of few soldiers who had a specialized weapon - a giant war hammer. She'd soar high above the monsters before bringing the weapon down onto tails or haunches, sending them crumpling to the ground before they scurried off back from whence they came. Sometimes, she'd strike the earth, shaking the ground and startling the beasts back into hiding. She would grab onto her horse again, remount, and repeat the process, while Ren would slashed with his dual swords at the stragglers she missed.

But the princesses and their aides always dismounted and sent their horses off to collect them later, and now was no different.

Ruby had just jumped down and tapped her palm to Crescent's haunches to send her off, immediately drawing her sword and casting her silver gaze into the trees around her. Weiss dismounted beside her, rapier in hand, already having cast repulsion glyphs to send any straying Grimm back in the opposite direction.

Blake jumped off her horse beside Yang, drawing her sword as the half-princess pounded her knuckles together and did the same, giving a holler:

"I've been waiting for this for a while!" She bent down to tear off the excess length of her dress up to her knees and tossed the material aside, giving her much better mobility on foot. Her hair took on a heated glow, and within seconds, flames licked at the air around her, her eyes going red.

Seeing her odd semblance in action always startled most people other than Blake, and even now, the Grimm came to a halt as they regarded her warily.

Yang selected her first target and charged, and the Ursa's ears flattened as it let out a defiant roar. Blake slashed at the surrounding beasts, utilizing her swift semblance to disorient them, aiming not for throats but for paws and hooves, doing her best not to kill them.

Yang settled for aiming at legs, struck hindquarters, and sending flames down the length of her sword to burn tails until the beasts retreated, though there were several that were too persistent that she ended up killing.

Ruby watched her sister and the Faunus girl, eager to get moving herself.

But when she tried, she found Weiss had cast ice on her shoes to immobilize her, and the brunette looked up at her knight with a pout.

"Weeiissss! No fair! I'm allowed to fight!"

"Not if I can help it. You're not getting a scratch on you, and if I have anything to say about it, you're not even going to break a sweat."

"But my skills will get rusty!"

"Then let them!" Weiss snapped, focusing on more of her repulsion glyphs. "It's better than risking your getting hurt!"

"Weiss, come on! Just one?"

"...Maybe."

With a grunt, Weiss continued casting her glyphs, staying close to Ruby. However, most of the beasts were avoiding hers and Ruby's general direction, so she focused on aiming blasts at the Grimm attacking her companions.

Weiss used a minimum amount of Dust, only casting it when absolutely necessary. She shot a round of fire to stop a pack of wolves in their tracks. Instantly afterward, she shot out a blast of ice to stifle the flames, and the resulting hiss of thick steam blinded the beasts, providing the perfect opportunity for JNPR to take over.

But when her semblance started wearing thin from overuse, Weiss resorted to using her rapier to parry the claws that came at them, few as they were.

Ruby stayed where she was, having cut away the ice at her feet a while ago, but opting to stay put as not to cause Weiss more trouble. She felt it was odd that the Grimm seemed to be attacking all of the other teams, but for the most part left hers alone.

Yang had hardly touched five of the beasts, perhaps because Blake had taken care of most before they could reach her, but Ruby felt there was something strange about it all.

Weiss was more focused on helping the other teams than her own, due to the lack of attackers on their end, though she simultaneously managed to keep one eye on Ruby.

By the time the Grimm started to retreat, Ruby had hardly moved a single step.

But there was one last wolf prowling before them, and Weiss had just turned her attention to it. Before she could act however, Ruby tugged on her sleeve and whimpered pleadingly. The white-haired knight met her silver eyes for a brief moment before letting out a sigh.

"Fine."

She supposed there would be no harm coming from one last wolf, and Ruby was more than capable of handling it.

Still, Weiss took up her stance, rapier aimed ahead should anything go amiss.

Ruby jumped up and down in place and squealed out "Thank you, Weiss!" before readying her sword and charging forward at breakneck speed, her speed semblance activated at long last. Her red cloak snapped out behind her, and any persons left of the generation that had fought alongside Summer Rose would clearly see her image in the girl now.

Rose petals swirled out in a storm behind her, sword pointed readily at her side.

But as Ruby neared the wolf, it merely turned tail and fled, leaving behind a very miffed and pouting princess who directed her weapon at the ground instead.

Weiss breathed a sigh of relief as she sheathed her rapier, though her charge was stomping her foot in disappointment.

"Awww come on! I didn't even get to fight one! Why'd it run away like that?"

"Bummer," Yang sympathized as her eyes gradually faded back to lavender. "Lousy luck that you got the chicken of the group."

"It's because Weiss wouldn't let me fight!" Ruby complained, sheathing her sword.

Weiss huffed indifferently.

"If you were in my position, you'd know why I do what I have to do."

"Yeah, yeah..." Ruby slumped her shoulders as she trudged back to her companions. "But I feel like this happened last time we got to fight, too! It was like four months ago, but I'm pretty sure back then too I didn't even get to fight! They all just ran away!"

"Sorry," Weiss shrugged. "But to me, that's better than you risking injury."

"But still..." Blake spoke up softly as she sheathed her weapon as well. "These tactics... it's all so counterproductive. We come in to fend them off, but we can't kill them unless we _have_ to. For the majority of them, we expend our energy and let them get away only to come back and ambush us another day."

"I know..." Ruby mumbled. "But it's what my mom wanted. That's why she made it law. We've got to let the Grimm reproduce and grow in numbers again to bring balance back to Remnant."

"Right," Weiss nodded. "The theory is that once their numbers aren't in danger any longer, they become docile again and cease the attacks on people."

"Yeah..." Yang agreed. "But more of them are still being killed off thanks to the White Fang's illegal covert hunts. So as long as that keeps happening, they only get more hostile..."

"In the end," Weiss murmured. "It's a tough situation, but we don't exactly have any other choice."

"Yeah," Ruby nodded, making a circle in the dirt with the tip of her shoe. "I still just wanna know why these past few years I've hardly been able to fight at all before they run away."

Her sister offered a small smile and sauntered over, slinging an arm around her shoulders.

"Don't think too much into it. It's probably just because you're such a great huntress they could sense it or somethin' and got scared outta their wits!"

Weiss angled her face away and muttered under her breath.

"And maybe that's why _you_ saw so little action, as well."

"What was that, Weiss?"

"Nothing," she said sharply. "Pay me no mind. I'm simply thinking aloud to myself."

Yang narrowed her eyes at the white knight, but before any further comments could be made, there was a rustle among the bushes as JNPR reached them.

"How is everyone?" Pyrrha wondered, her eyes going instantly to Ruby. "No injuries I presume?"

"Not even a scratch..." The future queen sounded almost disappointed.

"Well, that's good! After scouting around to the other troops, it's been reported that there were only a few serious injuries today, and with the help of our medical squad, even those have been tended to! It's almost like you were a good luck charm to us today, Princesses!"

"Yeah..." Ruby shrugged.

It was clear she was dejected, but Weiss was just glad she was still in one piece.

The knight brought her fingers to her lips and blew out a long whistle, and within moments, their horses came trotting back to them, also unharmed.

"It was a successful day," Pyrrha announced as the four girls mounted. "Despite all the mischief that seems to be brewing lately, today was a sign that things will be okay!"

Her smile then was contagious, and even the pouting princess reflected it.

Once the soldiers had all been rounded up and healed as best the medics could handle out in the forest, they set off for Vale again. One squad trumpeted horns to let the citizens know the battle was victorious in their favor.

Ruby was still in a bit of a daze as she trotted her horse alongside Weiss', so Yang took the liberty of taking her sister's mind off of things. She directed Ember to Crescent's other side and leaned over casually to Ruby.

"Soooo, what'cha gonna write about in your three-page paper?"

"Ew, Yaaaang!" she hissed. "Why'd you have to bring that up?"

"I hadn't forgotten about it," Weiss informed her. "So if you were hoping I had, you're out of luck."

Ruby grumbled something under her breath.

Pyrrha, who rode just ahead of them, looked back over her shoulder in interest.

"I'd love to help if I can, Princess Rose!"

Blake brought her horse up beside Yang's and offered her thoughts.

"What better way to get information than from the commander of a squad herself? You can ask Pyrrha how the medics handled things, or if there were any new recruits."

"Oh!" The crimson-haired girl perked up. "That reminds me, there _were_ a few new soldiers brought along this time and they handled things splendidly! I suspect they had training previously from wherever they came from."

"See?" Yang nudged her sister. "That's one thing to write about. Don't sweat it, you'll be fine."

"And," Weiss put in. "Of course I'll help you, too."

Ruby finally cracked a tiny smile up at her.

"Thanks!"

By then, they had reached Vale once more, and the lines of soldiers retreated back to the training camp grounds to wind down. Pyrrha's team offered to take RWBY's horses and weapons to secure them again.

"At least until your next combat lesson's in a few days!" Pyrrha smiled.

The girls dismounted and shed what little armor they had worn, save for Weiss who left her armor and weapon as it was.

Then, they headed back to the castle on foot, through the streets that were already starting to fill with citizens again.

It took a while to get back, considering the amounts of people – mainly children – who crowded them, asking about every minuscule detail of the battle.

Ruby recounted her story to them like a fairytale, and the children gathered with sparkling, eager eyes to listen:

"The trees were suuuper spooky-looking, and the clouds seemed to swallow up the sun whole! As we rode into the forest, there were glowing eyes aaaall around us..."

Weiss stood not too far off with Blake and Yang.

"Except it wasn't dark at all," she mumbled. "And they were only in front of us, not all around."

"Aww, c'mon Weiss!" Yang laughed. "Let 'em have their fun!"

And she did, but only for another hour or so, as that was when the sun started to sink toward the horizon.

It was then the parents started to take their children's hands or scruffs and lead them away to head for home. Weiss acted in a similar fashion, pinching Ruby's hood and giving a tug before leading her back to the castle.

"You can tell them more tomorrow," she promised. "But for now you've got a paper to write."

"Awwwww!"

Ruby whimpered all the way back, leaving Yang and Blake to stifle chuckles behind her.

After getting back inside the castle, the four of them were served supper as the sisters recounted the events of the day to their father. He listened attentively and even offered a few tidbits about the times he had fought in battles beside Summer in years long passed.

But when Yang brought up the peculiarity of them hardly getting to touch a single beast, he fell silent before quickly changing the subject.

Weiss and Blake took notice of this while the sisters simply continued to talk with the King. The two aides made eye contact, a silent message shared between them, but for now they simply continued to eat quietly.

Once the meal was finished, Blake and Yang headed off together to the half-princess' room to clean themselves and prepare for bed.

"Mmm yeah...!" Ruby agreed. "Bed sounds good about now-"

"Not so fast," Weiss quipped. "You've still got a paper to write."

"Darn it..."

Luckily, Weiss had the princess bathe first, telling Ruby to gather her thoughts during that time and think about what she wanted to write.

Afterward, Ruby dressed herself in her red nightgown, hoping to emerge from the bathroom to find Weiss also in her sleepwear. She was disappointed to find her still in her armor, hands folded behind her back – as professional and Weiss-like as ever.

"Weeeiissss, it's almost sundown! You should change into something comfy!"

"Later," she said. "But for now I'll help you with your writing."

She led Ruby back to her quarters, and the younger girl sat down at the desk off to one side. She took up her feather pen and a few sheets of paper and set to work right away.

This was hardly the first time she had to make reports about the going-ons of the kingdom, and despite how much she complained beforehand every time, Weiss believed that deep down, Ruby enjoyed doing such things. It let her connect with her kingdom and its people, and writing things down helped her commit information to memory better.

When she sat there writing under the lamplight, Ruby never once complained, though sometimes she asked Weiss for assistance with word choice, or discussed with her first what she should put before she wrote it.

When she went to work on assignments like these, she never rested until she had completed them, as she felt it was her duty to the people of Vale to work hard for them, before and behind the castle walls.

Of course, when she finally put her pen down, the loud, groaning voice came back.

"Uuugh I'm _finally_ finiiiiished!" Ruby sighed dramatically. She leaned back in her chair and stretched her arms up above her head until her shoulders popped.

Weiss winced at the sound before crossing the room and accepting the paper she was handed. She scanned it over, mumbling about a few spelling errors here and there, but was overall satisfied with it.

"Very good. I'll submit it to the King and then have it put away in your documentation archives."

"Okay, okay..." Ruby yawned. "But when you finish all that, could you come back here for a minute? I wanna talk to you."

Weiss instinctively stiffened at those words, but she dipped her head nonetheless.

"Of course."

She left the room, intent to return quickly.

Ruby stood and stretched her numbed limbs a bit more until they got feeling back. She limped to the window and pushed the curtains aside, lucky enough to catch the last few glimpses of the sunset as it graced her kingdom.

Orange light illuminated the sky, the clouds outlined in gold. The buildings took on a reddish hue, the ground below even more so. The sun only remained in sight for a few minutes longer before it slipped behind the distant mountains.

By the time it had vanished, Weiss had returned with a soft knock to the door that was already ajar. Ruby turned around and headed over to her, motioning for her to close it. Weiss obeyed, and the room was left with only a faint lamplight to see by.

Weiss straightened up as best she could, hands folded behind her back as she met Ruby's eyes directly.

"What is it you would like to discuss with me, Pri- …Ruby?" she corrected herself.

When she made the change of title-calling, Ruby smiled a little. But she did not provide an answer right away, and instead took Weiss' hand and led her over to the bed, having her sit down beside her.

There were several topics Weiss could imagine this being about – the Grimm, the White Fang, Yang...

But the thing Ruby addressed was probably the last thing Weiss was expecting.

"Just go to bed!"

"...I _beg_ your pardon?"

"Weiss!" She sounded exasperated. "Just sleep! You're always working too hard, you only sleep five hours a night, and on top of all that you're always taking care of me! You haven't even changed out of your armor or bathed since the battle today! You're going to fall ill and then what will I do?"

Weiss was still baffled that the topic at hand was herself, and she shook her head slowly.

"No, I'm fine, Ruby. I intend to-"

"You may _think_ you're fine now, and maybe you are! But if you keep overworking yourself, you're not going to be fine later!"

"I'm not overworking myself!" she snapped.

It had reached the point of the evening where their titles of princess and knight were all but forgotten; now, they were simply old friends-

-and perhaps more.

Ruby sighed.

"You may do an exceptional job during the day – all day, every day. But it's at times like these when it's obvious how exhausted you are."

Ruby took both of Weiss' hands in hers and slowly began removing the white gloves that covered them. It was hard for Weiss not to pull away as her mind told her to, but her heart told her she wanted to do just the opposite and stay put.

Ruby brought her knight's bare hands to her lips and placed soft kisses over the backs of Weiss' taut knuckles. She looked up into mist-blue eyes, and her knight's expression was unreadable. Ruby squeezed her hands imploringly.

"_Please_ stay the night, Weiss. Just this once. I want you to get some proper rest. You know I worry about you..."

Her confession made Weiss' breath hitch, and she wanted more than anything to take her princess up on the offer.

But-

"I can't..." she sighed.

"Yes you can."

"I have so much to attend to tonight, what with the banquet coming up-"

"Do I need to make it an order?" Ruby challenged.

Weiss pursed her lips instantly. She could tell Ruby was serious about making it an official order for her to stay, and if she did, Weiss did not have the slightest clue as to what she was supposed to do.

If she was missed by the other guards around the castle, and it was discovered she had spent the knight in the Princess' room, it would surely be deemed scandalous and improper.

People hardly cared that Blake took residence in Yang's bed every night – because Yang was only a half-princess.

But Ruby...

Surely if they were discovered, Weiss potentially risked a termination of position, and she could not bear the thought.

"Ruby..." Her voice wavered.

It reminded Ruby that at the end of the day, Weiss was just a girl like her.

Her knight continued in a hesitant voice, her tone sad.

"I _can't_... Do you understand? If someone found out-"

"It's not like we'd be doing anything bad!" Ruby cut her off. "I just want you to rest!"

"I know," Weiss sighed. "But to the rest of the kingdom, I assure you it will only look like something else."

Ruby growled.

"Is that _all_ people think about? That as soon as someone's in my room after sunset I'm _sleeping_ with them? Why can't I just lay down next to my best friend?"

"I know..." Weiss mumbled. "But that's how it is. I could be dismissed as your knight, and I can't... I can't live without you beside me. You _know_ that."

Ruby tried to keep her resolve, but she could not deny what her knight was saying. She heaved a sigh.

"I know. I'm sorry I threatened to make it an order. I don't want to trap you, Weiss, I just... I want to make sure you're okay..." She bowed her head, and Weiss felt warm droplets cover the backs of her hands.

"I _am_ okay, Ruby. I am. And I always will be so long as you're beside me," she promised. "But I really do have other things I must do tonight, though I promise you I'll do my best to complete them quickly and sleep a while longer."

Ruby sniffled and wiped her arm across her face.

"Okay. Just at least... let me help you out of your armor before you go."

Weiss imaged she could allow that much.

She stood and gave Ruby her back, and the princess set to work in removing every piece that was not sewn into Weiss' clothing. She removed the rapier as well, and leaned it against the side of her bed.

She had Weiss kneel before her, and Ruby untied her ponytail, letting loose the cascades of snow-like silver.

It left Weiss in just her boots, pants, and dress shirt that fanned out around her knees like a skirt, all materials white and lined with blue.

Ruby helped her back onto the bed and reached up, brushing her fingers lightly across the pink scar over her left eye - an old wound Weiss had sustained while defending her princess' life.

Ruby kissed it briefly, and it was hard for Weiss not to return the gesture; but the princess knew she wanted to, and that would suffice.

Weiss bit her lip and gazed into her eyes.

"You... You know what I want, don't you Ruby?"

The princess nodded.

"I know, Weiss. I want it, too. But I know it's hard for you. We can't have what Blake and Yang have. Not yet, at least. Some day. We can discuss things with my father, I'll let him know how I feel about you, and maybe then we won't have to hide things anymore...

"But we've got to think about what we want to say and how we want to say it. If we mess up... that could be the end of it. I think he'd be okay with it, but it's the rest of Vale I'm worried about... But for now..." She kissed Weiss' cheek again. "We can settle for this, right? We've waited long enough; we just have to wait a little longer."

Weiss nodded, forcing herself not to return Ruby's kisses. She felt that if she did, she would not be able to contain her pent-up affections any longer, and it was clear that they needed to wait. This was the silent battle the two of them shared; for now, they were restricted only to dreaming of the day they could declare a favorable resolution.

Luckily for Weiss, Ruby gave her something else to hold her over. She wrapped her arms around Weiss and pulled her into a gentle embrace, sighing in bliss as she rested her chin over the older girl's shoulder.

"This is so much nicer than hugging you with all that armor on. You're so soft, Weiss..." Like this, she could feel the other girl's heartbeat thrumming against her chest.

Weiss decided this was something she would allow herself to have.

She returned the embrace, loving every second of it, loving Ruby's warmth and her scent like wild strawberries mixed with roses.

They stayed like that for a few moments, but Weiss soon realized if she did not let go soon, she _never_ would.

Reluctantly, she had them part, reaching up to tuck a lock of brown hair behind Ruby's ear.

"Thank you, Ruby. Really. I didn't realize how much I needed that... But I've got to go now."

She retied her hair and slipped back into her armor, putting her rapier back at her hip.

"Okay..."

Ruby watched her transform back from a delicate girl to a prestigious knight. She loved both sides of Weiss – she just wished her softer side did not have to be hidden away so much.

And yet, Ruby felt special in knowing she was the _only_ person in the world to be blessed with witnessing that side of Weiss.

She stood from her bed and refrained from kissing her one more time, instead taking hold of her gloved hands and giving a squeeze.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Weiss."

"Likewise. Sleep well, Ruby."

"You, too. Sleep well."

And as Weiss went to the hallway and closed the door behind her, Ruby knew she had every intention to.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Next chapter is an intermission of sorts, but you'll understand, I'm sure.**

**Chapter 6 preview: ****_They could see the golden glow of Dust off her crimson dress even from far away, and as the neared, they bowed their heads._**

**_"Good evening, Cinder," Emerald greeted her. The woman's eyes lit up with interest, and she ran a hand through her ashen hair._**

**_"My, my..." Her voice was thick and slow and sweet, like poisonous honey that no one would be opposed to swallowing. "How are the new recruits doing this fine night? I trust Ozpin and his troops treated you well?"_**

**Please review!**


	7. Chapter 6: Malicious Shadows

**Shorter chapter this week, but from hereon out they will be significantly longer.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 6. Malicious Shadows<p>

Vale was more often than not a bright and lively place during the hours when the yellow sunlight graced the town.

There was a guise about the kingdom, that it was almost a carefree place, light atmosphere with little to no troubles on their minds.

No one liked to think about what happened when the candles went out at night.

Nighttime, when the less-than-pleasant kind of people crept out from the woodwork, when laughter was replaced with screaming as any straggling or lost citizens were dragged by their hair to dark alleyways, where they were tossed into holding cells and given numbers that designated when they would be thrown into the forests.

The White Fang was efficient with their work, and to this day, no prisoner had ever escaped or lived to give away their whereabouts.

As always, they only took good fodder – abandoned children, homeless taxpayers, or sickened elderly. If the Grimm could be fed for a while, they would not attack the town; the White Fang's creed was that the sacrifice of the few would benefit the masses in the long run.

Those who joined of their own free will believed in this wholeheartedly and sought to eradicate the beasts at all costs, despite the late Queen's orders.

Besides, the prisoners they collected would serve a better purpose dying in the woods rather than on the streets of the town.

From the military's training grounds, a few dozen soldiers and other people of authority were sent out to patrol the town at night, to keep an eye out for questionable activity or possible Grimm attacks.

Two such people walked together down a familiar alley, one that was hugged by abandoned shops that had burned down and never been rebuilt.

The sounds of their armor clanked lightly as they walked.

The taller of the two was a boy with gray hair, and he held a lantern in one hand. His companion was a girl with long hair like the mint-green leaves of the forest. They checked to make sure they were not being followed, remaining silent as they followed the twists and turns of the dark streets.

Along the way, they met up with several other people, holding their lanterns in a similar fashion to demonstrate their camaraderie. Most of the others were Faunus, but the pair of humans was not chased off or attacked; they were companions.

Not a sound was made save from the scuffle of boots over the dusty ground, and they made their way to a specific building. One of a dozen or so, this was one of Vale's security stations of sorts.

But no one jumped up and sounded the alarm when they entered, no one called for backup or ordered shots to be fired.

This branch welcomed the White Fang.

Perhaps that was what made it so easy for them to conduct their activities unnoticed; because whenever the authorities came in search of them, they miraculously always came up empty-handed.

Of course, there had been a few instance when the uncorrupted authorities had found out a few things here or there, but those never made it back to report what they had found.

The lines of Faunus moved into the building, heading straight to the basement. There were dungeons here where they kept their bait, and the wails and screams sent a delighted shiver up the human girl's spine. Her companion noticed and chuckled.

"You really get a kick out of it, don't you?"

"And you don't?" she challenged. "I just think it's hilarious how one minute they're crawling around the streets, sniveling and begging to die. But the second we bring them in here, they're begging for their lives." She went up to one of the cells where a woman with small, furry ears was sobbing. "Well_ too bad!_" The girl snarled and kicked the bars of the cell, sending the woman stumbling back.

"Come on, Emerald," the boy said, grabbing her by the hood. "We can do this later. We've gotta report now."

"Oh, that's right!" She clapped her hands. "We get to see Cinder tonight." With that knowledge in mind, she all but rushed the rest of the way down the halls. Her companion followed more slowly, and she rounded on him. "Hurry _up_, Mercury! We can't keep her waiting!"

"Yeah, yeah." He followed her down another flight of stairs, and the other Faunus and members of the White Fang followed.

It was the night of their weekly meeting, and there was a sense of excitement in the air.

The final staircase led them down into a spacious room with a platform where the members gathered and formed an audience, waiting for their leaders to appear on-stage and speak.

Most of them did just that, mingling into a crowd, but Emerald and Mercury slipped through them, bound for a far corner of the room beside the platform.

They could see the golden glow of Dust off her crimson dress even from far away, and as the neared, they bowed their heads.

"Good evening, Cinder," Emerald greeted her.

The woman's eyes lit up with interest, and she ran a hand through her ashen hair.

"My, my..." Her voice was thick and slow and sweet, like poisonous honey that no one would be opposed to swallowing. "How are the new recruits doing this fine night? I trust Ozpin and his troops treated you well?"

"Oh yes," Mercury grunted. "So much hospitality. They threw us onto the front lines in battle today."

"That is good," Cinder purred. "So tell me what you learned."

"Plenty," Emerald replied. "We had the pleasure of fighting only a dozen or so yards from the Princesses of Vale themselves."

Cinder's eyes widened slightly, and a wicked smile curled her lips.

"Do tell."

"Well," Emerald went on. "We observed them from our positions, but we only witnessed the fighting skills of the Faunus aide and the knight. The Princesses themselves didn't engage any of the Grimm."

Cinder tilted her head, blinked slowly, and then nodded.

"I see. And you think you know exactly why that is, don't you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"So tell me what you think of it then."

Emerald nodded and smirked as she continued.

"After what we've researched, there's no doubt about it; it's this generation's reincarnation of the Dragon's Curse."

Cinder reached out a hand to pat each of them on the head, chuckling to herself.

"Very, very, good."

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><p><strong>Chapter 7 preview: <em>Blake knelt down in front of the child, keeping a short distance between them, ever cautious.<em>**

**_"I'm sorry for scaring you. What's going on?" Rarely did children come to Blake, and even more rare was receiving a child who seemed frightened out of his wits. The boy's Faunus ears were drooping as he took a step back._**

**_"Th-The White Fang!" he hissed so only Blake could hear, and her ears flattened instantly. "The White Fang are t-trying to take my parents! Please help them..." _**

**Please review!**


	8. Chapter 7: Ambush

**Things will start to pick up from here ;u;**

**Disclaimer I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 7. Ambush<p>

_"What better way to get to her than by using her precious little friends?"_

Cinder's sultry words still rung in Emerald's ears as she kept to the shadows the following morning, Mercury at her side.

Based on their observations in the forest yesterday, they had reported all they had seen to Cinder. She had then determined what they had described were indeed characteristics of a person who harbored the Dragon's Curse.

Every generation it was transferred to someone else, usually at random, and in more uncommon instances by blood. It was entirely arbitrary, but they had found the new host; if they killed her now, the curse would be transferred to someone else, possibly in another kingdom or some other part of Remnant.

Had it been a random villager, it would have been easy to kill her. But being as she resided within the royal castle, they needed to work a bit harder.

The way Cinder saw it, they would be doing Vale a favor by disposing of one girl.

And Emerald agreed with her, body and soul – whatever Cinder believed, she would make a reality, even if it meant offering up her own life.

Which was precisely why she was enacting the plan the very next morning, in hopes to satisfy the woman's wishes.

Cinder believed that if the one who had the Dragon's Curse was slain, not only would the curse transfer to a new host, but the Grimm's attacks would cease for a while.

_"And what is one girl's life in lieu of such benefit?"_ she had wondered.

Although, it was quite possible that more than one of them might end up dying.

Behind Mercury walked three hooded figures. They were all elite and physically powerful members of the White Fang, ears and tails concealed under brown cloaks. And beside them was one last, smaller form; a Faunus child who had been brought up under the wing of the organization. He had volunteered for this mission, and if all went well, he had been promised a fine meal after it was all over.

They walked the streets silently, save from the patter of their boots over the grit and pebbles.

The sun was just about to rise, and with it would rise the kingdom's royal family.

They halted when the castle plaza was in sight, keeping a good distance between themselves and the other citizens who were just starting to roam the streets.

Emerald pulled up her hood and turned back to her group, a wicked, eager spark in her eye.

"Now then, everyone remembers the plan?"

Silent nods all around.

She grinned, revealing sharp teeth that could hardly wait to sink in.

"Good. Now get into position."

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><p>Breakfast was had at the castle just the same as every other morning, with brief exchanges of news as Weiss went over Ruby's schedule for the day with her.<p>

Once the meal was over, the two of them were bound for the town's main hospital.

Ruby loved visiting the sick people, as her presence had a way of naturally lifting spirits that no one could deny. She was bright and bubbly, positive and chipper, always willing to play games and tell stories.

Weiss would often offer her assistance to the staff, fetching medicine or refilling glasses of water as Ruby played games with the patients, bedridden or not.

It had been a few weeks since their last visit, and Ruby was eager to get going.

Weiss requested someone fetch their horses, and once they had saddled up outside the main entrance plaza, they headed out.

Yang waved at them as they disappeared down the crowded streets, smiling before her hand fell back to her side.

"Soooo," she hummed, tilting her head sideways to look at Blake beside her. "What's _our_ agenda for the day?"

It was a joke; unlike Ruby, as a half-princess, Yang never had too many obligations.

Blake shrugged to convey her indifference.

"Whatever you'd like to do. Though, if you're asking for my input..." She glanced around at the bright faces that peered their way as they did every morning. "I think we should greet the people."

"Ahh right, right. Good call."

Without Ruby present, there were fewer people gathered to see them than usual, but Yang hardly minded.

Blake watched her from the side as the blonde girl dipped down to shake the gathering children's hands or accept their wildflowers.

The Faunus girl had seen over the years how well Yang had trained herself to act like she did not mind when they asked for Ruby instead. But Blake could discern it hurt her even now as their innocent voices rose up.

"Good morning, Miss Yang! But where's Princess Ruby?"

Just those few words implied so much - how they would call Ruby by her princess title, but addressed Yang like any other person older than themselves, how they would speak to the blonde first, and then quickly brush off her presence in favor of seeking Ruby's.

Yang seemed used to it and answered right away.

"She's visiting the hospital today! But that doesn't mean you guys should go getting yourselves hurt just to go see her, okay?"

It was no exaggeration; some of these kids were so smitten with Ruby that they might really attempt it.

Blake's eyes caught sight of every weary smile on Yang's lips, every small flinch of her body as the children dismissed her through no conscious ill-intent of their own.

Yang knew her title in their kingdom was only half of what Ruby's was, and she could not bring herself to blame these children for brushing her off, nor could she ever blame Ruby for being born as she was.

Yang did not have the heart to place the blame on anyone, but hearing those comments day after day made her seem as though she held more years than just twenty.

It was hard for Blake to watch on a normal day as Yang was all but ignored in favor of her younger sister, but today the attention she was receiving was probably worse.

Blake had once envied Ruby for her status, for the fact that she had been Summer's daughter and Yang had not. But she had realized very quickly that no one deserved blame, especially not Ruby over something she had no control over.

Still, Blake could tell Yang was hurting now, and it was only so early in the day.

She stepped up and took her princess' hand, rubbing her knuckles gently.

"Alright. I think that's enough for now, don't you?"

Yang gave her a smile - a small, genuine one rather than the wide one she had kept plastered on for the past fifteen minutes.

Blake kindly asked the children to go back to their parents and covered Yang with her own body. She ushered the girl back toward the castle; perhaps they could get some training done on the private property today.

But before they could advance more than a few steps, Blake heard the patter of rushing footsteps coming from behind her. She could tell they were of a small person, and while likely not the discreet footfalls of an assassin, her ears still flattened as she whipped around with frightening speed, a defensive snarl forming on her lips.

Before her, a child came skidding to a halt, his hood sliding off to reveal Faunus ears like a puppy's. His voice trembled as he looked up at her.

"M-Miss Belladonna!"

Blake shared a curious glance with Yang behind her before the blonde gave a nod. Blake knelt down in front of the child, keeping a short distance between them, ever cautious, and spoke in a softened voice.

"I'm sorry for scaring you. What's going on?"

Rarely did children come to Blake, and even more rare was receiving a child who seemed frightened out of his wits.

The boy's Faunus ears were drooping as he took a step back.

"Th-The White Fang!" he hissed so only Blake could hear, and her ears flattened instantly. "The White Fang are t-trying to take my parents! Please help them..." He started to sob, and at the sight of the tears, Yang could not keep herself away. She bent down and murmured to her aide.

"What's going on?"

Blake bit her lip, conflicted. She could not afford to simply go off saving every single one of the White Fang's potential victims. She had to protect Yang above all else.

But they were already close to the castle grounds; Yang would be safe here without her for a few moments. It would take too long to notify the guards or authorities to send help; by the time they got to the boy's parents, it could be too late.

Blake looked the boy in the eye and spoke firmly.

"How many are there?"

"J-Just two..."

Two. It would be a nice warm up for Blake.

After yesterday's somewhat disappointing Grimm battle, she felt she was getting a little rusty.

She stood and turned to Yang, golden eyes stern.

"Please go back to the castle. I'll only be five minutes."

"But, Blake-"

Yang paused, holding Blake's gaze. She knew the Faunus girl hated leaving her more than anything; she had made a vow to always stay by Yang's side.

Yang knew the guilt of making this decision now was gnawing at her partner from the inside out, but the only reason Blake was doing this was because she knew Yang would be safe in the heavily-guarded castle.

Blake was only asking for five minutes.

The half-princess sighed before showing her a grin.

"You got it. But _please_, Blake..." She took her hands and squeezed gently. "Be careful."

"Don't worry. I'll be home before you know it."

Yang nodded, kissed her cheek, and hurried back to the castle. Blake kept her gaze trained on the blonde until she was safely behind the doors.

Then she turned back to the crying child.

"Lead the way."

With a nod, the boy took off through the crowds, and Blake followed close behind, her shoes never leaving his shadow. He led her past the congested market streets and to more isolated alleyways, where the tall building structures blocked out most of the sunlight.

The rambunctious din of the town died away behind them, and Blake focused her senses ahead, angling her ears as her hands went to the hidden pockets on the insides of her dress' sleeves, where some of her small knives were kept hidden.

She expected to hear sounds of a struggle, but instead all she could hear were the boy's sobs, the sounds of their footsteps over the grit, and her own labored breathing.

Were they too late...?

The boy came to a sudden halt, and Blake did the same. She narrowed her eyes and spoke in a growl.

"So where are they?"

Suspicion boiled within her, only seconds away from turning into rage at having been tricked.

The boy was still for a moment-

-and then there was blood gushing down Blake's leg.

The child drew a knife on her from within the rags of his clothing, slashing her right shin wide open. Blake hissed as she leapt back, activating her aura as quickly as possible to start healing the wound.

"You little cur!" she snarled.

"Well now..." A new voice echoed from behind her, and Blake tensed. "Not the kind of vocabulary I'd expect from someone raised at the _royal castle_."

Blake took a step back, only to find herself completely surrounded.

Five other hooded figures blocked off all escape routes, even two on the rooftops. She assessed their positions, but at the sound of footsteps rushing her from behind, she quickly leapt to one side, avoiding the child's dagger once more.

In that instant - even before she had the chance to activate her semblance - the others were all upon her, blades slashing her everywhere they could reach.

Knives plunged deep into her flesh – her sides, her back, her shoulder – and the cold metal pulsed within her blood.

She barely managed to draw her own weapons past the searing pain that shot through her in aching throbs. Empowered by fury and adrenaline, she channeled her pain into power as she spun, satisfied when she felt her blades pierce flesh and draw blood.

Her attackers stepped back, several of them bleeding, though most of the crimson in the dust was coming from Blake herself.

They charged her again, but Blake was faster this time, calling upon her semblance to create shadows of herself. Their blades met thin air as Blake evaded her perpetrators, slipping through an impossibly-narrow space between two of them. She stabbed the nearest one in the back, feeling a warm spray of blood as he howled and fell to his knees.

In the confusion, the others were intent on finding their real target, but Blake was intent on escape.

She fled as quickly as she could, given the dire wounds she had sustained. There was a shout from behind her as they caught on.

"_Get_ her, you idiots! Or else the boss'll have our heads!"

Blake never looked back, but she left a clear trail of dark blood behind her. She kept using her semblance to boost her speed, sending out her shadows in different directions to delay her attackers.

If she could just make it back to the marketplace...

Surely they would not follow her there and start attacking innocents?

She was starting to have second thoughts, but she kept going, praying that they were only after her and her alone, that if they lost her for now, they would give up altogether.

The crowds were in sight, and she slipped her knives back into their hiding spots in her sleeves.

There was an enraged shout from behind her, and she knew her perusers had given up. But not without one last shout at her back:

"Consider this a warning! A warning that she who bears the Dragon's Curse shan't live to see the new spring! _She'll be dead by the end of winter!_"

With one final push, Blake burst through the crowds of bustling people and collapsed to her knees. Cries of surprise rose up all around her.

"Hey! Watch-"

"Oh my! Isn't that-"

"Miss Long's aide? Miss Belladonna?"

"She's bleeding! What's happened here?"

Many of them turned to look in the direction from which she had come, but the alleyways were empty once more.

Blake scrambled to her feet and bolted for the castle, being jostled through the crowds of people until she broke free.

One final sprint, and her semblance could take her no further than the main doors. She collapsed once more and the nearest guards rushed to her, shouting orders to fetch doctors immediately.

They brought her into the foyer, but her legs could not hold her up and she collapsed again, her blood spilling onto the white tile, deep and dark and warm.

It was not even a full minute before a girl pushed her way through the guards.

"_Blake!_" Yang fell to her knees, her partner's blood seeping quickly into her pale yellow dress. "My god, oh my god... what the hell happened?" She was choked by sobs already, pulling Blake into her lap to look her over. Her right leg was coated in blood, as was her entire torso and her left shoulder.

Yang pressed one hand over what seemed to be the deepest of the wounds, over Blake's stomach, trying to staunch the flow of blood. She could feel Blake's aura struggling to tend to all of the injuries, but it was simply impossible to do on her own. Yang activated her own aura and let it flow in a gentle current onto her partner.

The alarmed shouts of the guards around them faded into insignificant white noise as Yang focused entirely on Blake. Her breathing was ragged, shallow, clipped, and her heartbeat was growing fainter by the second. She was gasping for air, and Yang placed her free hand over her trembling Faunus ears.

"Shhh..." she soothed. "It's okay. You're gonna be okay, Blake. _I promise..._" She leaned down to kiss her cheek, just as she'd done before Blake had left her, strengthening the flow of her aura onto the girl.

At long last, the doctors arrived, and Yang was forced to move back, though she stayed close enough to continue holding Blake's hand.

They treated her there on the floor of the castle entranceway, in a pool of Blake's own blood. Everything was a chaotic blur of constant motion. They tore her dress and disinfected her wounds, placing a towel between her teeth to give her something to bite down on as she screamed in agony. They wrapped her stomach and abdomen, her shoulder and her leg, repeatedly pushing needles into her arms and chest to keep her heart beating.

Yang sobbed softly all the while, her hair slightly aglow, her eyes rimmed with scarlet as anger and fear mixed within her. She did not even notice when her father arrived, muttering to the guards and nurses, ordering them to fetch Ruby and bring her home immediately and to increase security around the castle.

It felt like a week before the doctors finally moved away from Blake. They lifted her carefully and carried her to her quarters as the King directed them. Yang tried to follow them, begging for answers.

The nurses who stayed behind informed her Blake was in unstable condition, but would likely live, and she could make a full recovery after several weeks of rest and recuperation.

The relief of that knowledge caused Yang's semblance to calm down, and eventually it receded, her eyes regaining their natural color.

She was about to follow them to Blake's quarters when a commotion at the main entrance of the castle caused her to turn around once more. Ruby burst in with Weiss at her heels, several guards accompanying them.

"Yang!" Ruby cried. "What-" She cut off with a yelp as her shoe slipped on a puddle of blood that had yet to be cleaned up. Weiss dove forward to catch her and steady her, but they both looked down to see the stains on the tile. "Oh god..." Ruby put a hand to her mouth before she looked back to her sister. "Yang, wh-where is she?"

"It's okay, Ruby." Yang went to her and wrapped her in a much-needed hug. "She's gonna be okay. She's resting now."

"Oh..." Ruby sniffled and buried her face in her sister's dress. "Oh god... okay, that's good."

Weiss too let out a breath she had failed to realized she had been holding until now. She met Yang's eyes solemnly.

"What happened?"

Yang shook her head as she ran her hands through Ruby's hair.

"I don't know. Some kid ran up to her, and she went with him. I think it was something with the White Fang... I don't know anything more than that. The next time I saw her, she was... like _that_..."

"But why Blake?" Weiss muttered. She had started to pace, a nervous habit of hers Yang had picked up on long ago.

"...It's obvious, isn't it?" Her voice was low and thin. "To make a statement. A threat."

"But why?!" Ruby wailed.

"I don't know," her sister went on. "Not everyone in Vale likes us, you know. And this... this was probably a warning... Damn, I shouldn't've let her go... _damn it_..." Yang bit her lip until a rustic tang trickled over her tongue. Ruby felt her tremble and she tightened her embrace on her sister.

"It's not your fault, Yang. You said she'll be okay. So believe in her," she murmured. "But even more than that..." She pulled away and lowered her voice to a whisper as she met her sister's eyes. "Shouldn't you be with her right now?"

Yang sniffed again and gave her one last squeeze before stepping back.

"You're right."

"And..." Ruby wiped her sleeve over her face. "If she wakes up... tell her we love her and we really, really wanna see her but..." She trailed off whimpering, and Weiss continued in her stead.

"But we don't want to overwhelm her all at once. We'll see her tomorrow if she's ready for it. But for today, I think we could all do with some rest."

"Yeah..." Yang sighed, her eyes meeting with solemn blue. "And thanks, Weiss."

A puzzled and slightly-shocked look from the knight had Yang chuckling a little.

"For always looking after Ruby, I mean. When I can't be there, you always are. So thanks."

"Don't mention it..." Weiss grumbled. "It's my duty."

"Yeaaah," Yang hummed. "But we all know that's not the only reason, huh?"

Weiss stiffened and looked away. Ruby quickly jumped in between them, shooing her sister away.

"Go to Blake, you dummy."

"Right."

"And let us know if anything happens."

"You got it."

Yang wrapped them both in one last hug before hurrying off.

Blake's quarters were down the hall from Yang's, but the room was mostly unused as of recent years. The people of Vale may have cared about who entered Ruby's room, but no one particularly cared who shared Yang's bed.

As she walked briskly down the hall, Yang realized just how long it had been since she had come this way; usually, she and Blake simply stopped at _her_ room, never having reason to go further.

She paused at the designated door, hearing murmurs from within. She knocked lightly, waited in apprehension as footsteps approached to let her in. Yang thanked the doctors inside, asking them if there was anything she needed to do for Blake. All she was asked to do was let the girl rest and notify medics if something went amiss. Then, they took their leave respectfully, and left the room.

Even though it was only a guest room, it still felt too big to Yang. The shelves within were stuffed with books, and save from a desk, some drawers, and the bed, there was not much else inside.

Yang flicked off the main light, instead turning on a smaller lamp that gave of gentler glow.

She crossed the room slowly, quietly, not wanting to wake her if she could help it.

Blake seemed so much smaller, the shadows and blankets swallowing her where she lie still. It had only been a little less than an hour since the attack, but she looked so much paler than when Yang had last seen her, fragile, like a withering flower.

It scared Yang, because Blake had always been strong, dependable, and more than capable of taking care of herself and her charge. But all of this only served to remind Yang that the girl before her was a person just like anyone else, someone who bled, cried, and felt pain-

-someone who had almost lost her life today.

The thought had Yang crumbling, sinking down onto the bed like her legs could no longer hold her up. Blake's eyes were closed, but her brow was understandably furrowed in pain. Her breath came uneasily, and the covers seemed to suffocate her.

Yang reached out to her, brushing the backs of her fingers over her cheekbone, following the delicate contours of her face. She trailed her touch up to Blake's temple, curled through her bangs and over the crown of her head until at last she came to a stop at her drooping ears. They were trembling, much like the rest of her was, and Yang caressed them softly.

Her other hand ventured down to Blake's side, carefully extracting one of her arms from beneath the blankets so she may hold her hand.

Yang had never felt so helpless.

Even when Summer had vanished and left behind a young and confused Ruby, Yang knew how to provide comfort for a child.

But ever since then, tending to Ruby had been mostly Weiss' job, and it has been years since Yang had needed to relearn.

And yet, it was a skill a big sister never truly forgot.

She parted her lips and began to sing softly, a familiar lullaby the late Queen herself had often sung to the two princesses. Yang was no singer, at least not one like Weiss was in secrecy anyway, but her voice slipped quietly over the words:

"_Don't you worry about the dark..._"

It had been years since she had last heard or sang the song, but the words came naturally and without hesitation. She made sure it was soft, as Blake's Faunus ears were highly perceptive. They flicked a little now, indicating to Yang that Blake could hear her to some degree.

When she finished, Yang bent down and pressed a soft kiss to each of the girl's ears, then to her forehead.

Straightening herself up again, she noticed movement and watched as the Faunus girl's eyes flickered tiredly open, fluttering like a tattered butterfly's wings. Her eyelids lifted to reveal deep gold, more beautiful than the rare mineral itself, and so much more valuable.

Yang released a breath she felt she had been holding in for a year, and she brought her hand down to cup Blake's cheek.

"There's my Blakey," she murmured, offering a smile. "How're you feelin'?" She blinked, and when she reopened her eyes, she found a drop of water on Blake's cheek. "Hey, hey. Don't cry, yeah? What's the matter? Does it still hurt? Damn, of course it does..."

"Yang..."

Her voice was a relief to hear; part of Yang realized it was because she had not been entirely certain if she would be privileged enough to hear it ever again.

Blake's eyes searched hers, her occupied hand curling beneath Yang's as she pulled her free one out from the covers and reached it up toward her princess' face.

"_You're_ the one crying."

"H-Huh?" She put three fingers to her cheek to find them warm and wet, and Yang chuckled sheepishly. "Oh, hah. Guess I am." The smile wavered, showing clear signs it was about to fracture despite the effort she was putting in to keep it plastered into place. "Sorry..." she mumbled.

Blake's ears flicked once.

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because-!" Yang realized her voice had grown loud, and she quickly put a palm to her lips. When she continued, her words were almost inaudible, even for Blake. "Because... this is my fault. I let you-"

"Stop." Blake cut her off immediately. "Don't you dare blame yourself for this, Yang. _I _left _you_. _I _was the one who ran off on my own like an idiot. I guess... I'm still just blindsided and biased toward anything involving the White Fang. My obsession almost got me killed today..."

Yang flinched at the word "killed" and she felt more tears drip down her face.

"Blake..."

"_I'm_ sorry, Yang," she went on. "I'm sorry for... for tossing you aside like that for my own stupid wishes, like I could make a difference if I took part in some misguided act of heroism. I hope I've learned my lesson; that nothing good comes from leaving you." She tried out a small smile. "I won't do it ever again. I promise you that."

Yang wiped her face on the back of her hand and made her voice clear.

"Okay."

She took Blake's hand again and rubbed her thumb over her knuckles, remembering they had been drenched with Blake's own blood only an hour ago.

Yang leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to her lips, soft and easy, pulling back before long to let her breathe.

They enjoyed their moment of peace before the thoughts nagging at the back of Yang's mind finally won her over.

"Blake?"

At the sound of her name, the Faunus girl reopened her eyes.

Yang smiled guiltily. "I'm sorry. I'll let you sleep soon. But first I need to know... did they say anything? Do you know... _why_ all of this happened?"

She waited as the injured girl collected her thoughts. Yang did not miss it when she flinched at the unpleasant memories, and she tightened her grip on her partner's hand in reassurance.

It was a moment more before Blake found her voice again.

"They said... to consider this a warning..." she began. "Though I'm not sure what they meant when they said to catch me or else someone would have their heads... I knew they wanted to kill me... and probably write out their warning in blood... But so long as their message got delivered, I guess what _did_ happen would suffice..."

Her voice hitched and her breathing started to become erratic. Yang longed to comfort her, but she force herself to hold back, not wanting to break the girl's train of thought.

Her eyes had taken on a crimson outlining – frustrated and furious – but her voice was calm.

"Was there... anything else?"

Silence.

Blake inhaled shakily and nodded.

"They said... "She who bears the Dragon's Curse shan't live to see the end of winter.""

The silence grew heavier, and Yang struggled to quell the anger brewing inside of her until her eyes returned to their natural color.

"'She who bears the Dragon's Curse'...?" she repeated. "I don't understand... They know...?"

The Dragon's Curse was something everyone knew of, but few dared speak of; the typical human and Faunus mindset was if it was ignored, it would simply it go away.

But the curse still dwelled in their midst, and there was no known way to break it, only transfer it - let the current host die and send the curse unto a new one. The curse could not be cured, only to sent off to burden someone else.

Yang had heard of previous hosts trying to live with it for as long as possible so no one else would have to suffer it. But the curse never allowed its host to live a full life, always taking on some twist of misfortune and feeding off of it until the bearer had perished prematurely.

Like Summer's, most curses seemed to involve love – and never living long enough to see it flourish. Yang had heard some of the curses that had been in effect in past decades, recorded in the archives of scrolls in the hidden shelves of the old libraries. None of them had given any leeway.

Yang shuddered and bit her lip.

"I don't understand... how did they find out...?" She brought her hands to her face and shook her head. "Shit... we've been careless..." She quickly brought her hands back into her lap and looked down into the other girl's eyes. "Blake, we can't-"

But she stopped, talk of the Curse having made her forget the other issue at hand. Blake's forehead was covered in a thin veil of sweat now, her eyes glazing over and chest heaving.

Yang immediately kicked off her pesky shoes and drew her legs up onto the bed fully, draping an arm lightly across Blake's torso and lying down beside her.

"Hey, hey, shhhh..." she soothed, rubbing the girl's cheek. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to stress you out by making you remember all of that. It's okay. Just calm down..." She peppered gentle kisses over Blake's cheek, pausing above her lips and holding one there before going up to her nose and forehead. "They're not gonna hurt you ever again, Blake. I swear it by Summer Rose's name."

Blake tensed; such an immense vow was not something to be made or taken lightly. She feared what might happen to Yang if she failed to keep it.

And yet, the fact that she thought – _knew_ – she could, made Blake's heart swell with affection.

Slowly, she wrapped her sore arms around Yang's shoulders until the princess relaxed fully against her.

"We can... worry more in the morning..." she murmured into locks of blonde hair.

But for now, there was a sense of calm – perhaps it was only before an even greater storm – but the first wave had passed for now, and they were entitled to a brief period of peace, it seemed.

The night had already crept in long ago, and Yang had no intentions of leaving. She propped herself up above Blake to kiss her one more time, long and soulfully.

Then, she slid off to one side, not wanting to put weight or pressure on Blake's wounds. But although Yang had tucked her face into the crook of Blake's neck, the Faunus was no fool; she could hear her princess' sobs and feel her tears as if they were her own.

And she asked her what was wrong as if she did not already know the answer.

"I..." Yang's voice was broken and thin. "I almost lost you today, Blake... I don't wanna... I don't wanna keep seeing it when I sleep... all that blood..."

Yang's nightmares were nothing Blake was not used to, but if there was a way to prevent them, she would make sure to try it. She shifted and pulled Yang's head to her chest, but the blonde girl pulled back.

"Y-Your shoulder-"

"It's fine," Blake whispered. "Everything's already closed up thanks to my aura and the treatment the nurses gave me. It's fine, Yang. Just rest. Please."

She pulled her back down, and this time, Yang did not protest. She allowed Blake to position her in whatever way was most comfortable to the Faunus girl. The result was Yang finding her head tucked beneath Blake's chin, arms wrapped around her back loosely. She really appreciated it when Blake attempted to give a gravelly purr to soothe her.

Like this, she could hear Blake's heartbeat where it pulsed strongest, the unmistakable proof that she was alive. Yang sobbed with relief, as if she had needed such confirmation to believe it was the truth and Blake had not somehow bled her life away today. Her arms slipped down to Blake's sides and held her gently, listening to the rhythm beneath her ear, allowing herself to believe in reality.

And with the knowledge she now held possession of - of the danger that lurked in Vale's shadows - she knew reality would not be so kind in future days.

But for now, she accepted what she was offered, and Blake did as well.

They kept firm holds on each other, defiant to let go.

That night, sleep was kind enough to take them to its realm together.

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><p><strong>AN: Sorry, this chapter seemed off to me but I don't think I fixed it properly even now ;u;**

**Chapter 8 preview: ****_The four girls now walked slowly down the hallways as the setting sun illuminated their path in pale orange that bled into red. They were all unnaturally silent, lost in their own minds as they kept a slow pace to accommodate Blake's limping gait._**

**_They only paused once they had reached Yang's room, and the blonde girl turned slowly to her younger sister._**

**_"Try not to think about it too much," she whispered into Ruby's ear as she pulled her into a hug. "It'll be okay, sis. Everything's gonna be okay."_**

**_"Yang..." Ruby's voice was broken and wavering, such a dire contrast to what Weiss had heard that morning. It sent a pang through her chest._**

**_Silently, the knight supported Yang's vow with one of her own._**

**Please review!**


	9. Chapter 8: Aftermath

**Thanks for all the support! I hope these last few chapters won't disappoint ;u;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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><p>Chapter 8. Aftermath<p>

Ruby awoke early the next morning, shivering slightly as she pulled her blankets closer to her chest.

She had not slept well last night, her mind continuously plagued by images of Blake's plight, and whenever she _had_ managed to sleep, she only saw the people she cared about most getting hurt.

Weiss had stayed with her until the wee hours of the morning, despite Ruby's insistence that her knight get some sleep.

Ruby had eventually fallen asleep from sheer fatigue, and she woke now to find Weiss had not stayed the night with her.

She sighed and curled into herself tighter, discerning by the light that it was just before sunrise. She hoped Weiss would be late this morning, not because Ruby wanted to sleep in, but because she was hoping the older girl was resting.

And yet, it was only a few minutes later when she heard those unmistakable footsteps coming down the hall, and the knock came on her door just as the first rays of sunlight slipped beneath the windowsill. Ruby knew it should not have come as such a surprise though, and she sat herself up and called out softly.

"Come in."

Weiss waited a respectful moment before opening the door and entering.

Ruby had hoped – foolishly perhaps – that the girl would be dressed in casual clothing. But now she could both see and hear Weiss was adorned in her usual armor.

"Weiss..." Ruby murmured as her knight paused several feet away from her bed. "I didn't fall asleep until early morning, which means you must've stayed here even longer. Did you sleep _at_ _all_ last night?"

Weiss sniffed once.

"That doesn't matter," she declared, and before Ruby could argue, Weiss went on. "Today's going to be an easygoing one. And perhaps the rest of the week will be as well."

Ruby tilted her head to one side and gave her a puzzled look.

"What do you mean?"

Weiss took a step closer, and when Ruby invited her to sit on the bed, she did not refuse. Weiss flashed her a glance before going on.

"After what happened yesterday, the King has declared that you and your sister are to stay indoors until further notice. It shouldn't be much of an issue for Yang, considering she'll likely be looking after Blake, but I know you have a higher risk of getting restless."

Ruby's shoulders had already slumped.

"So... I can't go outside and greet everyone and say good morning anymore?"

"...I'm afraid not. At least not for the next few days. The King is going to talk to Blake and try to find out more about the people who attacked her and the reasons behind it. It's just... not safe for you to go out right now. He'd rather you stay on castle grounds. _Inside,_" she emphasized, as there was outdoor property as well. She smiled sadly before continuing:

"I know you love being outside and moving around, being a part of your kingdom, but it can't hurt to take a break for a few days, right?" Hopefully it would _only_ be for a few days. Ruby was already looking like she was going to be stir crazy, and Weiss chuckled lightly. "Don't worry. We'll figure out things to do to keep you busy and simultaneously involved with everything."

Ruby fidgeted and shifted closer to her knight.

"Okay. I guess I don't have much of a choice, huh?" She laid down onto her back and spread her arms wide, heaving a sigh. "Do you think... the banquet's still gonna happen this month?"

Just as Summer had done when she reigned, Vale still held banquets at the end of every month, providing food and a carefree atmosphere for all who attended.

But this month's banquet was a bit more significant; it was to be held on Ruby's birthday, and she would be celebrated by all of Vale as she turned eighteen.

Weiss had been making preparations for this event in particular for the past few weeks, and it would be a waste if it were cancelled. Still, Ruby's safety took top priority.

"I can't tell you for sure," Weiss confessed. "It depends on several factors." She looked down to where her charge lay splayed out on the bed. "But I promise, even if the banquet's cancelled, I'll still make it a birthday worth your while, even if I'm the only one available to celebrate."

Ruby sat up with a grin and wrapped her arms around her.

"Thanks, Weiss!" She tried to snuggle into the girl's shoulder, but was met with a hard bump on the nose because of her armor. "Owwie! I wish you'd take this stuff off from time to time..."

"Maybe one day," Weiss hummed. "But not until we at least deal with the White Fang."

"That could be never," Ruby groaned.

"Then you'll just have to get used to hard hugs," she teased good-naturedly.

"Uugh..."

"Come on," Weiss stood and helped her princess up. "We should visit Blake if we can before she needs to go see the King and give a report of what happened." She stood and helped the girl up, and Ruby went to her wardrobe to pick out today's attire.

"I guess I don't need to dress so formally if no one's gonna see me, huh?"

"No matter," Weiss murmured. "You look lovely either way."

Ruby hugged her again.

She selected a simpler dress, one with fewer layers and lighter fabric; it was getting cold these days, but she hardly had to worry if she were to be staying inside. The dress was light red, like pale rose petals, and after Ruby bathed, Weiss helped her into it, receiving only minimal protest from her charge. She secured Ruby's red cloak around her shoulders shortly afterward.

She padded a towel gently through Ruby's wet hair, petting the lingering water droplets out with care as not to displace or tug a single strand. Ruby closed her eyes and hummed in delight as Weiss tended to her, and it was times like these when she almost forgot she was a princess, forgot all her responsibilities.

Maybe the next few days would not be so bad after all...

Once Ruby was finished being prepped and pampered, Weiss led her to the hallway so they may attend their morning meal. However, they did not get very far before Ruby gasped in surprise and called out softly:

"Blake!"

The Faunus girl had Yang beside her, and was more or less leaning all of her weight onto the blonde as Yang tried to help her walk. The half-princess was mumbling worriedly:

"Are you _sure_ you're up for this, Blake? You could rest for a day, you know."

"No. I can't let myself get lazy. I need to be as mobile as possible if I want to get better quickly."

"Or you _could_ rest and relax for once..."

Ruby scampered over to them just as Yang finished muttering under her breath.

Weiss reached them soon afterward.

"Princess... I would _appreciate _it if you wouldn't go running-"

"Blake!" Ruby cut off her knight and exclaimed the girl's name again. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Like a hoard of Grimm trampled me."

Ruby's shoulders slumped and she frowned, voice thick with concern.

"I don't think you should be walking around yet."

"That's what _I_ told her," Yang grumbled. "But noooo. I think only orders from the King himself could make her sit down, and even then, he'd have to win a debate against her first."

"The wounds have all closed for the most part," Blake informed them. "Aside from soreness, I'm perfectly fine."

"Says the girl who needs to use another person as a crutch just to stand..." Weiss noted.

Blake's ears flattened, slightly offended, but deep down she knew the white knight was just looking out for her.

"I'm fine," she reassured them. "But I'm afraid you two will be missing us at breakfast. I'm to see the King and recount... what happened."

It was clear to them that it was still a bit difficult for her to talk about it, so none of them asked her now. But Yang nodded her head to Ruby in a way that silently signified she would tell her more on the subject later.

"Alright," Ruby nodded. "Just take it easy, okay?"

Blake nodded and smiled kindly.

"I will. Thank you, Princess Ruby."

It always made the brunette happy when someone other than Yang called her by her first name, even if it was still with the formalities; of course it made her happy when Weiss did it as well, only in a different kind of way.

The two of them watched as Blake and Yang hobbled slowly off down a different hallway, bound for the King's quarters.

Once she was certain Ruby and Weiss were out of earshot, Blake whispered thinly into Yang's ear:

"Do you think she'll be informed?"

"What? About the bastards who attacked you?"

"More so of what they said."

"...About the Dragon's Curse?"

Blake nodded.

"...I don't know," Yang admitted. "But I think it'd be best if she never found out. I don't want her to know the truth."

"Do _you_ even know the truth, Yang?"

The response was silence, and Blake sighed, but said nothing more as she was led down the corridor.

Ruby watched them go before she let out a heavy exhale, and then sniffled. Weiss put a hand to her back by means of support.

"Are you alright?"

Ruby shrugged, but made sure not to shake off Weiss' hand.

"Yeah. I dunno, I just... what happened to Blake yesterday... just kinda... _disillusioned_ me I guess. Vale isn't the nice, safe kingdom we always try to make it out to be. I mean yeah, there are plenty of problems that we try to deal with but... what can _I _do? Something like this happens and then I'm confined to the castle so my dad can protect me? What kind of a useless princess am I?"

"_Ruby_." Weiss did not even bother with her title as she looked the girl directly in the eyes. "None of that. You know the King loves you and is only thinking about your safety. You're not useless; you're just brave."

Ruby tilted her head to one side. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the rest of us are terrified," Weiss clarified. "None of us know how to react to this yet. That's why the King is keeping you inside; because he's scared. But you're brave, and you want to start finding answers and justice _now_. Unfortunately, not everyone has the same confidence in their blood as the late Queen did; that's something unique to you alone."

Weiss withdrew her hand, only to find Ruby's holding it. She went on softly:

"I understand that you want to apprehend the people who did this, but we can't act right away, no matter how badly we might want to. We've got to bide our time and take caution before action. We've got to strategize first, gather as much information as possible, but the King can't focus on doing that if he's worrying constantly about your safety. That's why he's confined you to the castle. Once we know as much as possible, we can enact some plan of organized retaliation."

Weiss squeezed her hand a bit tighter.

"They won't get away with this, Ruby."

The knight then got down on one knee in a display of silent fidelity, keeping a firm hold on Ruby's hand as she dipped her head and pressed her lips to the back of it.

"And I swear on my life that no harm will come to you."

"W-Weiss-!" Ruby whimpered when she heard the vow; she knew the girl was dead serious about what she said.

Ruby fell to her knees and threw her arms around Weiss, pressing herself as close to her as possible.

"Don't... don't say that, Weiss. Please. Nothing's gonna happen to you, okay? I'll make the same promise to you."

Weiss was silent for a moment before she carefully and briefly wrapped her arms around the girl.

"Thank you, Princess."

Ruby's gesture was appreciated, even if Weiss knew it was sure to be fruitless should such a dire situation ever arise. Weiss was her knight, after all; Ruby's life was far more valuable than her own.

A moment passed them by in the empty hall before Ruby slowly pulled away from her knight.

"Okay. Then let's go eat."

They stood together, and Ruby almost took Weiss' hand before she realized where they were. The knight was forced to fold her hands behind her back and straighten her shoulders at attention as she began walking, and Ruby was left to hold onto her own dress instead.

They arrived in the dining hall to find it vacant, as Blake, Yang, and the King were all in his quarters to discuss the attack.

Maybe it was because they were alone or maybe it was because Ruby looked forlorn sitting by herself, but Weiss sat down beside her for once and ate a little. Ruby seemed a bit happier after that and smiled as she finished her meal.

After breakfast, they decided to venture to the indoor training area, which consisted of a wide room in the basement area, down a flight of stairs. It was often where the princess' sword and fencing lessons were held, but it was also used for recreational practice as well.

A small nearby room held the dozen or so swords Ruby and Yang trained with, though they each had their favorites. However, those had been left with their horses in the stables at the army's training grounds, which Ruby knew she would not be seeing for a while now.

So she chose her second favorite blade and followed Weiss into the basement.

It had been a while since they had parried swords, Ruby insisted that she did not need her armor, and that the significantly less-formal dress she wore now would be easy to move around in.

Weiss begrudgingly agreed and drew her rapier. She only used Dust when absolutely necessary in real combat, so training lessons were always done with dry blades and nothing more.

The knight took up her stance, realizing she was unable to recall the last time she had sparred Ruby one-on-one.

Then, both opponents bowed respectfully before Ruby put about ten feet between them and raised her sword.

There was a moment of silence when neither moved nor breathed.

And then they both charged forward with terrifying speed, Ruby's enhanced by her semblance and Weiss' by her glyphs.

It had been a while since they had crossed blades, but as metal clashed with metal for the first time that morning, it was nothing unfamiliar. There was force behind each weapon, a firm counterbalance, and Weiss could instantly tell that Ruby's form had gained power since the last time she had encountered it. She poured a little extra effort into her own grip, putting them at a temporary stalemate they could only leap back from.

They circled one another like wolves, sizing each other up, eyes narrowed and intent, the tips of their respective swords aimed precisely at the other's.

Then, one would make a move, either a feint or a real attack, and the resulting dodge and counter were always flawless.

Ruby let out the first grunt of effort; understandable, considering Weiss had been trained in this profession her entire life and knew better than anything how to hold her tongue and save her breath. She may have been slightly smaller than Ruby in terms of stature, but her skills matched those of Summer Rose's daughter, and perhaps might have even surpassed them in some aspects.

After all, what kind of a knight would she be if her princess was so skilled that Weiss' services were hardly required?

Another rush of motion, and their blades parried again, deflecting their opponents.

But after a few minutes, the commonplace swordplay got boring, and things turned a bit more colorful – literally.

Ruby called upon her semblance once more, exerting a bit of energy and dashing about the enclosed area; she ran so quickly that gravity bent to her will as she lined the walls, sending a swirling tornado of red petals rising up behind her.

Weiss did not even try to follow her with her eyes; instead, she closed them and _listened_ to the rush of the air, pinpointing its source. When Ruby leapt at her, Weiss was able to dodge with perfect timing and at such an advantageous angle that it allowed her to dart in close.

Ruby twisted herself to block the rapier, but Weiss was faster, sending out another glyph beneath Ruby's feet and propelling her back a few steps. Unbalanced, Ruby could only close her eyes as Weiss rushed her and disarmed her with an expert hit to the wrist. Ruby's sword dropped to the floor with a loud clang as her rose petals floated slowly down to scatter around them. The victor lowered her rapier and cancelled her spell.

"Owwie..." Ruby moaned, holding her sore wrist.

"My apologies." Weiss sheathed her rapier and picked up Ruby's sword. "I didn't mean to use so much force. I should've controlled my strike better." Her eyes went to the floor in repentance.

Ruby quickly waved her hands back and forth.

"No, no! It's not _really_ that bad!"

Weiss looked up hopefully. "Truthfully?"

Ruby hummed sheepishly. "Nothing a kiss couldn't fix..."

Weiss sighed and rolled her eyes. "You really want me to get dismissed, don't you?"

"I wouldn't let that happen!" Ruby smiled as Weiss took her hand and pressed her lips to it. "And besides, it's only a few more weeks until my birthday. Then I'll be eighteen and we won't have to keep this a secret anymore."

All these years, Weiss had done a fairly good job of keeping her emotions in check; as Ruby's knight, the princess' safety came before anything else, and Weiss' feelings could be easily invalidated and ignored if need be.

But luckily, that was not necessary any longer, and Ruby could tell the other girl was starting to crack, unable to wait a day longer than she had to before she could finally make her affections clear.

Weiss had always loved Ruby, but would only be allowed to show that to the rest of the kingdom when the princess turned eighteen. It was likely their relationship would be rejoiced and celebrated, or hardly come as a surprise at all, considering how close they had always been to one another.

Weiss was more anxious about the banquet and what she had planned for it...

A tap on her shoulder brought her back to the present, and she looked up to find Ruby's charming smile.

"Ready for round two?" she asked.

Weiss redrew her rapier and smirked.

"Always."

They sparred for a while, going over basic techniques and building up to more advanced ones before engaging in several consecutive mock battles.

Only when they both agreed they were starting to feel the strain in their muscles did they respectively sheath and put away their weapons.

"I think I could do with a glass of water," Ruby chuckled.

"I wouldn't be opposed either."

Weiss led them to the nearest sink on the property, one that connected to a well of cold water. They refreshed their parched throats gratefully by using small drinking glasses on a nearby shelf.

They had just put their glasses aside when a flurry of footsteps reached their ears, and Weiss instantly straightened up, stepping in front of Ruby as she faced the doorway.

One of the royal guards came to a halt before them.

"Princess Rose," he said, bowing low to Ruby. "Your father would like to see you in his quarters promptly to discuss yesterday's incident."

Ruby stepped out from behind Weiss and nodded.

"I'll be there shortly."

The guard bowed to them again before hurrying off.

Weiss could feel the apprehension on the air, but realized most of it was wafting off of herself. She had had a bad feeling about all of this since word of Blake's assault had come to her, and the morning of training with Ruby had temporarily taken Weiss' mind off of things.

But now, her lips pursed in a firm line again as she ushered Ruby back into the hall.

* * *

><p>Ruby's father ended up telling her exactly what Blake had told Yang the night before.<p>

Word for word, Ruby heard everything the Faunus girl's attackers had said, and she did not know what to make of it all. She knew of the Dragon's Curse and perhaps related to it more than anyone else; it had been her own mother's downfall after all.

And she could see it in her father's eyes too, see that he was frightened to lose someone else he held dear to him to the Curse.

And she could see that he was tired, weary, and older than ever before, but he was determined to keep his family safe.

He had hugged Ruby and Yang tightly that evening before dismissing them all, reiterating that they were to stay within the castle walls until he deemed it acceptable to do otherwise.

The four girls now walked slowly down the hallways as the setting sun illuminated their path in pale orange that bled into red. They were all unnaturally silent, lost in their own minds as they kept a slow pace to accommodate Blake's limping gait.

They only paused once they had reached Yang's room, and the blonde girl turned slowly to her younger sister.

"Try not to think about it too much," she whispered into Ruby's ear as she pulled her into a hug. "It'll be okay, sis. Everything's gonna be okay."

"Yang..." Ruby's voice was broken and wavering, such a dire contrast to what Weiss had heard that morning. It sent a pang through her chest.

Silently, the knight supported Yang's vow with one of her own.

As the sisters held onto one another for a few moments, offering quiet comfort, Weiss supported Blake with one arm, feeling how unstable her balance was. Normally, she would have scolded her more for not resting properly, but the knight could not even manage the chiding tonight. She lowered her voice so only the Faunus girl could hear her:

"You know... about the Dragon's Curse?"

Blake did not look at her, but kept her eyes trained on Yang as she replied.

"Don't _you?_"

Weiss had not wanted to believe it, and yet now she felt she might have known it all along.

For her golden hair to catch aflame when she was enraged, and her eyes to run blood-red in fury...

...of course Yang had the Curse.

It was no wonder the Grimm had hardly ever touched their group when they went out into the forests; what beast was foolish enough to fight a being cursed by the great Ancient Dragon?

Weiss felt sick – she knew they all did. Yang's life was being targeted, and Blake had already almost lost hers. And there was next to nothing they could do about it all except hide away.

Weiss growled under her breath, and it was Blake who had to calm her this time.

"You know you don't have to worry. I'll keep her safe even if it costs me my life."

"And you think that makes me feel any better?" Weiss rounded on her with a soft snarl.

Blake gave her a knowing look. "You understand better than anyone. You'd do the same for Ruby."

Weiss was silent for a moment before the helpless anger left her eyes.

"You're right. Just... don't let it come to that."

"...No promises."

Weiss bit her lip. She slipped her arms around Blake gently as not to hurt her more. The gesture was certainly unexpected, but not unwelcome in the least, and Blake returned the contact briefly before Weiss let her go.

By this time, Ruby and Yang had parted as well, and their aides went to them respectively. But Ruby was reluctant to let her sister go.

"Yang..."

The elder sister turned back and gave her a grin.

"Hey, don't worry. I've got Blakey with me, and even if she's hurt, one growl from her when she's pissed would have anyone running off with their tail between their legs."

Ruby seemed unconvinced, and Yang tried again.

"Nothing's gonna happen tonight, Ruby. That's a promise from your big sister, okay?"

Ruby nodded once, then left Weiss' side to hug her sister one more time.

"There, there," Yang murmured, petting her hair. "It's gonna be fine, Ruby. Go get some rest. I don't think that should be much of a problem tonight, actually."

The blonde met Weiss' eye and winked, and the knight looked away.

At last, Ruby left her sister's side and returned to Weiss, who in turn led her quietly to her quarters. Ruby wanted to ask Weiss to come inside, but she assumed her knight had something else to tend to; she always did.

But Weiss surprised her when she made the request herself.

"May I come in with you?"

Ruby looked up at her with watery eyes and nodded once, taking Weiss' gloved wrist and pulling her inside before she could change her mind.

The door closed behind them and Weiss helped the girl to her bed. Ruby seemed much more enervated than she should have been, and Weiss knew it was a result not of their training that day, but of the burden of the new knowledge she now bore.

Weiss took the liberty of sitting beside the girl without invitation and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Ruby offered silent gratitude as she leaned into the contact and closed her eyes.

Neither said a word for a long while, not until the sunset had disappeared and left them in darkness aside from the faint glow of a single bedside lamp.

Ruby had dozed for a time, and awoke a while later to the shadowed room. She made a small, tired sound before shifting around a bit and peeking up at Weiss past her bangs.

"Mm, Weiss... shouldn't you go? I don't want you to get in trouble for staying here. You need to get some sleep..."

The last thing she wanted was for Weiss to leave her tonight, but she knew she did not have a choice in the matter.

But it seemed - for once - Weiss _did_.

"That won't be necessary," she murmured, offering a small smile. Ruby blinked at her, eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement before Weiss went on. "I asked the King briefly after our meeting with him. I asked him if it would be permissible if I stayed with you just for tonight. He seemed to know as well as I did that you would sleep much more soundly if you weren't alone. He almost begged me to stay with you."

Ruby's silver eyes lit up with a faint sparkle.

"Really?" Her nose scrunched a bit as tears swelled behind her eyes, but they were not from loneliness as she thought they would be tonight – instead they were of relief. "Ah, gosh... Thank you, Weiss. You don't know... w-what this means to me..." Ruby slipped her arms around Weiss' waist, but the knight paused her gently.

"But first, why don't you change clothes and help me out of my armor?"

Ruby nodded and sat back before standing and going to her wardrobe to remove her cloak and change into a softer red nightgown. She returned to Weiss quickly and sat behind her, fiddling with the links that held her armor in place until they unclasped.

Weiss left her rapier leaned against the side of the bed for easy access should she need it, and once it was all off, Weiss was left once again in a humble shirt and pants, all of which seemed far too loose on her.

Again, Ruby was reminded of just how small Weiss was, and when she took her hair down, she was like another person entirely. Ruby was almost hesitant to touch her like this-

-and yet, she could not stop herself.

She needed Weiss now more than ever.

Her fingers brushed gently over the scar that cut down her left eye, an injury Weiss had sustained many years ago protecting her. Ruby had always felt responsible, but Weiss had never once regretted the mark.

And Ruby was sure to remind her how beautiful it was; how beautiful _Weiss_ was.

Weiss was still as Ruby traced her fingers lightly over the old wound.

And then she felt warm lips pressed to her cheek.

Weiss stiffened instinctively; she had never experienced such close physical contact before, but if it was with Ruby, she would gladly accept it all.

She belonged to Ruby Rose, now and forever.

Weiss closed her left eye as Ruby kissed her there again, one hand cupping the side of her face as the other rested on her hip. Weiss returned the contact very slowly, her hands applying almost non-existent pressure on Ruby's shoulders.

She would not deny that she was scared in doing this. Ruby was her princess, her most treasured person in the world, and she did not want to do something wrong.

Weiss failed to understand that nothing she did could ever be wrong in Ruby's eyes.

But Ruby did not want to force her knight either.

When she pulled Weiss into a tight hug, she could feel the older girl's heart thumping quickly, and Ruby knew she was terrified – about the Curse, about staying with Ruby tonight - about _loving_ her.

Ruby knew she was Weiss' everything, because Weiss was hers.

But she understood that fear as well, that fear that if she made someone her everything, that if something happened to them... nothing would be left of herself.

Weiss' arms were shaking as they returned her embrace, and her shoulders were stiff. Ruby could tell she was holding herself back, and she apologized silently, knowing she was more or less torturing Weiss by doing this to her now. She curled her fingers through the other girl's soft, long hair, breathing her in, feeling her heartbeat thick against her chest.

Weiss stayed silent and still, though her hands clung to Ruby's back, an unspoken display of her desire to never let her go.

A while later, Ruby pulled back and met her eyes again. Weiss looked so tired, and she could see it clearly now.

They were both tried of waiting.

Ruby wanted to make it easier for them both.

"Weiss..."

The sound of her name in Ruby's voice got the white-haired girl's attention instantly, and she blinked herself into focus.

"What is it?"

Ruby fidgeted a bit in her arms as she looked up into mist-blue.

"I know... it's a little early. But I... I think I want my birthday gift now. _Please_..." Her voice cracked on the last word as the tears started to overflow.

She wanted – _needed_ – this so badly.

Thankfully, Weiss did, too.

The knight inhaled, deeply and slowly.

"Of course, my princess."

Weiss slowly brought her hands up to Ruby's face, holding her cheeks gently, rubbing her thumbs over the wet trails her tears had left behind.

So what if it was a few weeks early? Her inhibitions be damned. She deserved this much. She could be absolved of _this much_.

Weiss was going to be selfish now for _once_ in her life.

She looked into Ruby's benign eyes and waited until she closed them before doing the same. She slid closer, tasted Ruby's sweet breath on her own, felt the tickle of her lips brushing against hers.

Neither knew for sure who leaned in first – perhaps they both did.

Their lips came together with the clumsiness and uncertainty of a first kiss, and the passion and surety that they never wanted anything more from life than this. They enshrined this sacred moment that was many years overdue, engraving it into their hearts, painting their souls with the colors of love that had been blossoming between them for nearly a decade.

Weiss could faintly taste the salt of Ruby's tears, and it was that very same elation that had her own cheeks wet within seconds of the contact.

Weiss pulled her in by the shoulders, and Ruby kept her secure with her arms around her waist and the small of her back.

They held the enraptured kiss until their lungs demanded otherwise, parting only briefly to take in the elixir of oxygen before shamelessly repeating the process.

Ruby fell softly down onto her back, and Weiss never broke the kiss as she followed, bracing her weight on her elbows as she tilted her face and deepened the contact. Ruby clung to her shoulders, moving her lips slowly against hers until the tears had stopped and been forgotten.

She kissed Weiss again and again, and her knight never protested or denied her.

She had needed this for far too long – they both had.

Weiss only stopped when she felt it was necessary, knowing that if it went on for much longer she might start doing things she would regret and never forgive herself for.

Ruby whimpered and saw the older girl flinch, but the brunette quickly realized her mistake and apologized.

"I'm sorry. C'mere." She reached her arms up and pulled Weiss down to her gently, kissing the crown of her head. "Sorry. I didn't mean... I don't want you to do anything that would make you uncomfortable. I'm sorry."

Weiss released a shaky breath against her.

"Just... not like this. My heart isn't ready for it."

Ruby squeezed her tighter.

"That's okay. I wasn't thinking clearly anyway. Don't worry about it." She gently rolled them over so Weiss was beneath her. Ruby leaned down and kissed her chastely. "Thank you, Weiss. I've never... been so happy before in all my life. I feel like... like everything's gonna be okay."

"It will be," she promised.

Ruby nodded and moved herself down. She draped herself over Weiss, resting her head over her heartbeat, listening contentedly.

And the whisper just slipped from her lips as easily as her breath came:

"I love you, Weiss."

The pulse beneath her ear jumped and she felt Weiss squeeze her tighter. Soon afterward, she heard soft hiccups as her knight pressed another kiss to her head.

Weiss struggled for words. Ruby was so much more than just a princess; she was a blessing, a miracle given unto a planet unworthy of her untainted heart, and she deserved to know as much.

So Weiss repeated it back to her.

"I love you too, Ruby..."

And they slept soundly that night, feeling that all was right with the world for the first and perhaps only time in their lives.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: At last, the long-awaited White Rose affair has blossomed!**

**Chapter 9 preview: _Blake pursed her lips and met weary lavender eyes, and dismay curled in the pit of her stomach even before Yang continued._**

**_"I..." Yang swallowed hard and looked down. Blake could tell whatever she was about to say was something Yang had been dwelling on for many, many hours._**

**_But she never expected it to be what Yang ended up saying to her:_**

**_"I... I'm... relieving you.. of your position..."_**

**Please review!**


	10. Chapter 9: The Banquet

**This chapter is specifically dedicated to adamantred, the lovely person who created the cover art for this fic! There's a lot going on in this chapter, so I hope it isn't too difficult to follow ;u;**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY. **

* * *

><p>Chapter 9. The Banquet<p>

The days started to drag before long, and every morning, Ruby woke and followed Weiss to breakfast only to be told by her father that the authorities had discovered nothing new about Blake's attackers.

Thus, day after day, Ruby was confined to the castle to ensure her safety.

She did her best to keep herself busy, but there was only so much training she could do with Weiss in the small area in the basement. They were limited on space and resources, and it was not nearly as pleasant as training out in the open air was.

Blake recovered before long, though Yang still insisted she take it easy, even going so far as to make it an order.

On occasion, Yang would take Blake to the basement to watch her sister and the white knight train. Blake longed to join in, for she knew she was healed now and was more than capable of a mock battle.

But the reasons she held back were not for her own sake, but for Yang's.

The first time after Blake's recovery that they had encountered Ruby and Weiss training, the Faunus girl had nudged Yang forward.

"Go on," she had said. "You should train with them."

But Yang had given her a sunken look - scared.

"I can't," she had mumbled. "What if I end up hurting one of them?"

She was like a lioness among cubs, frightened that she was too strong – too recklessly zealous – for her own good, terrified that she would make a grave mistake she could never take back. There were too many abstruse thoughts congesting her head, and she feared they might cloud her judgement to the point it could become problematic, or even dangerous.

And Blake feared for her.

Ever since the revelation that Yang hosted the Dragon's Curse had come to light, the blonde girl had been considerably depressed. She was jumpy, like a deer, cautious at every sound, always looking over her shoulder, her usual gaul and confidence entirely absent now.

Blake knew it was because she was scared not for herself, but for those she cared for. Yang blamed herself for Blake's assault and resulting injuries, and every day, she met her aide's eyes fewer and fewer times.

After several days, she refused to train herself altogether, too terrified that her curse might go berserk, that she would not be able to control her semblance and would potentially cause distress and chaos, or worse – injury.

It got to the point where all the girl did was roam the halls of the castle aimlessly with Blake at her side, only plastering a smile every once in a while when she crossed paths with her sister or father.

But it was impossible to keep it up constantly, and Blake felt Yang's anxieties as if they were her own, and she was convinced they were.

The king had increased the number of guards around the castle, saying it was for Yang's safety. But to her, it only felt like she was being caged, not protected.

After a week, she refused to eat her meals with her family, insisting she take them back to her room.

She was beginning to break, and Blake feared it was now only a matter of time before she shattered.

* * *

><p>Presently, it was the seventh night since the castle had been put on lockdown, and the third night Yang had taken her dinner back to her room with her.<p>

Blake followed solemnly behind her, having forced down a bit of food beforehand in order to focus on Yang alone now. She kept her sharp vision trained on the girl's form, and it was clear how much Yang's stride had faltered within the past few days, how frazzled her hair had become, how stiff her posture was now.

The half-princess only ever seemed to want to retreat to her room and sleep, convinced she would not lose herself to the fire boiling inside of her there, or if she did, that she would harm as few people as possible; she trusted Blake to save herself.

But despite the silent and verbal displays of support Blake offered her, she knew the blonde was nearing her limit more and more every minute.

She intended to put a stop to it tonight.

Blake had been lost in her thoughts, carefully planning her words as she walked, and the sound of a door opening as they reached the room brought her back to the present. She scurried after Yang and the door closed behind her.

The room was shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the faint rays of the setting sun that slipped around the edges of the curtains. As a Faunus, it was no problem for Blake to see, but she imagined Yang would have difficulties.

The dark-haired girl flicked on a small lamp just in time to see the other girl placing her untouched plate of food down onto her desk. Blake traced the outline of her charge's dress and back with her eyes before approaching slowly, voice soft as not to startle her.

"Yang-"

"Blake-"

The blonde turned around and cut her off almost instantly. Blake pursed her lips and met her weary lavender eyes, and dismay curled in the pit of her stomach even before Yang continued.

"I..." Yang swallowed hard and looked down. Blake could tell whatever she was about to say was something Yang had been dwelling on for many, many hours.

But she never expected it to be what Yang ended up saying to her:

"I... I'm... relieving you.. of your position as my-"

"Yang!" There was a vehemence in her voice as Blake snapped at her. She rushed forward and grabbed the girl's wrists, glaring up into her eyes. "Don't you dare. Don't even _joke_ about something like that-"

"This isn't a joke, Blake." Her voice was eerily calm, and it made Blake feel angry and hopeless all at once. Yang met her gaze levelly. "I'm serious, Blake. If I'm cursed with this... if I could lose control at any time and end up going crazy... I don't want you to be there when I do."

The blood was roaring in Blake's ears, and she flattened them against her skull; she was unable to tell if it was Yang who was shaking or herself.

She felt a growl work its way up the back of her throat, lowering her voice as she tried to maintain some form of composure.

"So what will you do?" she challenged. "Are you going to exile yourself? Run away? Lock yourself in some dungeon or seclude yourself in some forest where there's no one around?"

With every accusation, she saw Yang flinch, and Blake knew she was hitting every nail on the head. Relentlessly, she went on.

"Or... Or will you kill yourself here and now? Turn yourself over to them or take your own life so the curse can be transferred to someone else? You _can't _think the King would allow it. What do you think Ruby would do when she found out? Do you think she'd be okay-"

"Blake-"

"Do you think she'd be able to live with herself?"

"It doesn't matter if I die! _I'm_ not the real princess!"

"And what about me?" Blake shouted over her. "How do you think _I'd _feel? Do you honestly think I'd allow you to kill yourself? Stop being so selfish for once in your life and think about the people who care about you!"

"_Shut up!"_

"No, Yang! I won't shut up if this is what you're going to do! You can't relieve me of my position, because guess what? I'm not going anywhere even if you try to force me to. I'm not leaving you alone so you can kill yourself!"

"_Then what the hell am I supposed to do?!_" Yang screamed, her voice desperate and high, laden with exasperation. Tears were trailing down either side of her face as she yanked her wrists away from Blake's grip.

Yang took a step back, her eyes already glazing over with red. Her breath came heavily, and her voice trembled when she realized what was happening. She quickly tried to suppress it, to the point it was painful to do so, and her voice withered.

"What... what am I supposed to do, Blake? What can I do...? I'm a _monster_..."

The word echoed around the room, doubling back to dig its way into Blake's skull, pounding. It slithered down her spine and snared thorns around her heart.

It had been a while since that word had haunted her mind.

Ever since she had met Yang, her mind had never once plagued her with the thought, not like it had in her younger years. Blake knew firsthand the repercussions that word could have on a person, and she was not about to let Yang suffer them.

She stepped forward, closing the distance between them to gently curl her fingers around the girl's wrists, softer than before, with care.

"Yang..." she whispered. "No. Don't you dare say that. Don't you dare _think_ that. You're not a monster."

The red in her eyes was already fading, but even if Yang had been consumed by flames, it would not have prevented Blake from wrapping her arms around her and pressing close.

Yang felt the hollowness in her stomach yawn wider, her form going numb until she felt the warm body against hers. Blake's scent wreathed around her, and Yang's arms wreathed around Blake, _carefully_, not applying too much pressure to the girl who was still recovering - recovering from a vicious incident that occurred because of _Yang's_ existence.

"Then..." Yang gasped, burying her face in the girl's hair. "Then what _am_ I...?"

Blake did not even have to think about her answer, tightening her embrace on the girl.

"You're Yang," she murmured. "You're my..."

She gasped softly cutting herself off before she could say something she might regret. But Yang had heard everything, and she whimpered into the side of her neck.

"Blake... _please_..."

She needed this.

The plea in her voice cracked Blake's final ounce of resolve.

"You're _mine_, Yang. I love you. I _need _you. You can't... you can't leave me, and you can't make me leave. I won't. If you kill yourself, then you kill us both. If you turn yourself over or run away, then I'm going with you, damn it. You're not going anywhere alone, do you hear me?"

There was silence for a moment, and Blake allowed the blonde girl to nuzzle into her until her sobs subsided.

"Yeah..." Yang whispered. "I get it, Blake. Sorry... for saying all of that. And Ruby-" She bit her lip, guilt clawing at her throat. "I said... it again. When I promised I'd never blame her for being born the real princess. I said it again... I'm sorry, lil' sis..."

"It's alright," Blake soothed her. "She'd never blame you, Yang. You know that. She loves you. And you're only doing all of this to yourself because you love her, too. Because you love all of us... But just think for a minute. What if it were me who was cursed, or Ruby? Would you let one of us kill ourselves?"

"No!" Yang barked. "Of course not!"

"Then you know how we feel."

Yang was silent again, but then the tears resurfaced with a vengeance, her body shuddering uncontrollably. Blake held her closer, supporting her weight, keeping her on her feet.

"Sorry..." the half-princess whimpered. "I'm sorry, Blake. I didn't mean it. I didn't-"

"Shh..." She ran her hands through golden locks. "I know, Yang. I know. Don't worry about it. Just... promise me you... won't think about hurting yourself ever again. You... You can't do that, okay? You just _can't_."

She felt the girl nod against her shoulder.

"Yeah. I promise. I'm... sorry, Blake. I'm just..." She lifted her head and bore her gaze into Blake's. "I'm just so tired. I'm scared."

To hear Yang admit her fears was both relieving and unsettling for Blake, but it compelled her to move the girl over to the bed and sit down beside her.

"I know. I'm scared, too. We all are." She stroked Yang's cheek, brushing her thumb over the salty tears to clear them. "But we can get through it together. We've just got to be cautious and take our time-"

"But we don't _have_ time, Blake!" Yang hissed. "You're the one who heard what they said! That they'd kill me before winter-"

"Yang." Blake stopped her with a firm tone. "That's not going to happen."

"But they almost killed you-"

"But they didn't. I'm still here, aren't I?"

Another moment of silence, and Yang's eyes went to her lap as she leaned her face into Blake's palm.

"But..." she sighed. "But even if it's not this winter... they're going to keep coming after me. All my life, I'll just be running until they finally catch me."

"We'll stop them first, Yang. We'll find a way." Blake tried to offer a smile, though she was not sure how convincing it was. "But... if you really... if it'd be better to run then... I'll come with you. But we just need to plan it out first, okay? We need to get the timing right. We can take the horses in the night and we'll go where no one could ever hope to find us..." She paused and pressed a soft kiss to Yang's lips. "I don't care if we're banished or exiled, as long as we're together..."

Yang let her lips linger on Blake's, leaning forward to hold it a second longer.

"Do... Do you really mean it?" she whispered. "Blake Belladonna is... agreeing to run away with me?"

"I do," the Faunus girl murmured. "If it'll keep you from feeling trapped here, if it'll keep you from being terrified at the sound of every footstep, if it'll keep you from calling yourself a monster... I'll do whatever it takes. I'm _yours_, Yang. You can't get rid of me. Ever. _I love you_."

Yang bit her bottom lip, a fresh sting rising up behind her eyes.

"Blake, no... don't say that. You can't-"

"I can't love you?" she guessed. "Please, Yang. I've loved you for longer than I can remember, and there's no way in hell you're going to deny you feel the same." She leaned forward and kissed her again, firmly and with a gentle passion. "I love you, Yang. I'll always love you. But you've got to _let_ _me_... Do you trust me?"

Yang did not give her a direct answer. She searched Blake's melancholy eyes, seeking out something she could not quite understand, finding something profound she could not explain.

Yang wrapped her arms around the girl's neck and laid down on her back. Blake fell lightly on top of her and pressed against her, pushing their lips together again until she could feel their pulses pounding as one.

They had proven time and again that they loved one another, through words and actions and silent touches.

But now, it was Blake's turn to remind her - remind Yang that she loved her, curse or no curse. Blake needed to show her that the knowledge of Yang's misfortune did not change her feelings toward her in the slightest.

She held long kisses to her lips, keeping tight grips on her wrists, twining their fingers together. The kisses went down Yang's neck and over her heart, and Blake could feel the fingers curling in her hair, at the bases of her ears.

There was a soft whisper of her name, and it gave Blake the final confirmation she needed.

She was not afraid of Yang.

She loved her.

And she would prove it as many times as Yang needed her to.

* * *

><p>. . .<p>

The days were growing colder, the nights longer, and Ruby more and more restless.

She was worried about her sister, worried about the possibility of the banquet being cancelled. Every day, her father would give her ambiguous answers when she asked about her party, and she felt she could hardly blame him.

But even if she could not have her banquet, she already had everything she could ever want or need. She had her sister, she had Blake, and she had Weiss' undying and candid affections.

And yet, she could not even come to feel happy about her newfound love with Weiss, because Yang was getting worse by the day. The usually boisterous, energetic girl had fallen all but silent and despondent, her confidence vanished, and so had her contact with Ruby.

The brunette would fret every evening, and Weiss opted to stay with her at night until she fell asleep before departing.

The effect the knowledge of the curse was having on them all was getting to the point of being extreme, and she needed to put a stop to it.

Evidently, the imploring looks she had silently sent Blake's way must have worked after about a week, because the next morning as Weiss led a dejected Ruby down the halls to breakfast, there was a fast patter of footsteps from behind them. Weiss turned to see not the guards she had expected, but Yang herself.

It was a surprisingly quiet endeavor, and the second she reached them, she threw her arms around Ruby and held her tightly.

"Y-Yang?!" Ruby's voice was shocked and relieved all at once, and Weiss could hear the waver in it just before she broke down into sobs.

"I'm sorry..." her sister kept mumbling. "Sorry, Ruby. I'm sorry..."

Weiss knew not of what she was apologizing for, but another silent glance to Blake told her it was too complicated to inquire. Blake sent her the faintest of smiles; it was incredible how much the gesture relieved Weiss and made her understand that whatever had come over Yang previously was no longer an issue.

As the sisters kept their embrace, Weiss stepped over to the Faunus girl and spoke softly.

"Thank you, Blake. Whatever you did... whatever you said to her... thank you."

"Don't thank me," she murmured. "I only told her the truth."

"Still..."

Weiss took one of Blake's hands and lifted it to her lips, pressing a small kiss to the back. Startled, Blake's ears flattened as she took a step back.

"W-Weiss, what are you-"

"It's a simple display of gratitude. Even if you're unfamiliar with it, surely it's nothing you can't comprehend?"

"...I don't deserve it."

"Of course you do." Weiss pressed her free hand on top of Blake's. "In helping Yang, you've helped Ruby, and therefore you've helped me. Thank you, Blake."

Clearly, the Faunus girl was not used to being treated so formally, respected so highly. But she knew it was better to just accept Weiss' declaration of appreciation rather than fight the stubborn knight on the matter.

So she dipped her head respectfully and welcomed Weiss' hands on hers.

At last, the sisters parted from their quiet embrace, and yet it felt like there had been so much said between them. Yang reached out to wipe her sister's tears.

"It's gonna be okay, Ruby. They're not gonna get me, so you don't have to worry."

The younger sister offered a smile, though she bit her lip to keep it from trembling.

"Okay. Thanks, Yang. Thanks for... for not dealing with this alone. I love you – we all do. We're gonna help you with this no matter how long it takes or how hard we have to work. We're not giving up until you're safe."

"Thanks, lil' sis." Yang ruffled her hair and kissed her forehead. "You're gonna make a great queen one day."

She stepped back, and Blake and Weiss took their cues to return to each of the sister's sides. The atmosphere was lighter now, as though a shroud had been lifted, blown away by a clear breeze.

They continued down the hallway together, bound to get some much-needed breakfast. But not before Yang leaned in toward her sister with a devilish smirk.

"Sooo, you and Weiss finally got there, huh?"

Ruby nearly tripped and fell over her own two feet.

"W-What?! Yang how could you te-"

"A big sis knows these kinda things, Ruby. So congrats~"

Ruby shared a quick glance with Weiss, and her knight's face went instantly red, her jaw hanging open uselessly as she tried to think of something to say.

"Don't worry," Yang soothed her. "I'm not gonna say anything. Though, to be honest, I'm pretty sure the entire kingdom's known for a good five or six years now."

"Yang, don't tease them," Blake said, hiding a chuckle behind her hand.

"I won't say anything~" the blonde repeated. "But when do you plan on spillin' the beans officially?"

Ruby chewed the inside of her cheek, and Weiss promptly looked away.

"If... If the banquet for my birthday is still happening this month, then we'll probably make it publicly-known then..."

"Oh, perfect! I can't wait!"

Yang cooed and nudged her blushing sister all the way to the table where Ruby finally whined and swatted her away. Weiss was still too mortified to meet Blake's eyes, but the Faunus girl knew they were all feeling the same.

It felt like things were back to the way they had been a few weeks ago, when they had few troubles and only joy.

However, they all knew it would not last for long, and that they would need to savor this moment, make it last as long as possible.

When Blake next did meet Weiss' gaze, it was solemn, as though the knight could not believe the almost carefree air about the two sisters now. Unlike before when the feeling was welcomed to stay, it now merely felt like the calm before the storm, and keeping what undoubtedly lie ahead out of their minds was only delaying the inevitable.

* * *

><p>The dirt of the military training grounds was soggy and damp, caked in mud and dying, frosted grass that was starting to crunch like hay.<p>

Emerald's breath rose up around her in annoyed puffs of white as she glared up at Mercury beside her.

"We'd better be hearing some good news today," she growled. "It's been a week since we jumped that Faunus whore, and ever since, the ditzy princesses have been locked up by Daddy for safekeeping. There's only one way we can get to them now."

"Chill out," Mercury said, rolling his eyes. "Cinder wasn't _that_ mad, you know."

"Shut it!" she hissed.

She could still recall the woman's expression when Emerald and her small team of battered attackers had trudged back to her to report that the Faunus girl had lived through their ambush. Cinder had said she was hardly surprised, but that it did not matter so long as their message had been made clear.

Still, there had been disappointment in her amber eyes, and Emerald felt she had lost a fraction of Cinder's faith in her for not meeting her expectations.

Even now, just thinking about it made her dig her teeth into her lip until she swallowed blood, a bit of self-repentance. Mercury noticed and narrowed his eyes.

"Hey, quit it. If one of the commanding officers sees us walking in with bloody mouths, we'll be put under suspicion and asked to leave before we can hear the announcement."

Begrudgingly, Emerald licked her lip and removed her teeth.

The King had decided whether this month's banquet would be held or not, and depending on his decision, the White Fang and its partners would be taking different plans of action.

But of course there was one option that was more preferable to Cinder than the other...

Which was exactly why Emerald was so ecstatic when she and Mercury returned to her under cover of night that evening.

"It's on!" she reported. "The banquet is happening in five day's time!"

Cinder brought a hand to her chin, her lips curled into a pleasant smile as she dragged her nails lightly down the side of her own neck.

"_Wonderful_."

"But," Mercury cut in. "There's a catch. Only people of the castle, members of the royal guard, and the military are able to attend. It won't be open to the public citizens this time."

Cinder cast him a glance of only mild interest.

"But that won't be a problem. Not for my precious little rats who've got the military wrapped around their fingers, now will it?"

Her gaze, aglow with subtle fire, met each of theirs.

Emerald replied instantly.

"No, ma'am! We'll be able to get in. They only want the military there to guard the perimeter of the castle should any trouble arise."

"Well isn't that ironic?" Cinder purred. "Because I plan to stir up _quite_ a bit of trouble."

Mercury spoke up again. "And of course we'll be turning people away. Buuut we'll also be able to sneak someone in if we have to."

"Very good." Cinder beckoned them both forward, deeming they had earned a small reward. She ran her hands over their heads, pushing them down onto their knees and stroking their hair as if they were dogs. "I'll report to those in charge of the White Fang tonight, and we'll dispatch a group to venture into the forest and begin rounding up the Grimm."

She started to walk off into the dark underground chambers of the building, before she turned back to them. "After all," she hummed. "What fun would this party be without a little... _excitement?_ And what better way to incite that than pure, unadulterated terror?"

Her red dress lined with sparks of gold trailed behind her, and Emerald and Mercury followed as she headed off into the shadows.

* * *

><p>When Ruby's father told her the banquet was going to be held after all, she nearly jumped for joy.<p>

She was a bit disappointed that the citizens would not be invited in this time around, but he had reassured her that stands offering free food would be set up along the market streets to give the people a bit of a break.

"We can send a few of our men out," he told her. "We just can't have people coming in."

And Ruby knew she would be fine with that. The military would be there to protect them as well, and she really only needed Weiss and her father to be present.

But Yang was going to be staying in her room that night, and guards would line the halls specifically to prevent anyone from getting to her.

When she heard that tidbit of information, Ruby turned to her sister and her shoulders slumped. Yang quickly patted her head.

"It's fine, Ruby. It's better this way. I can help celebrate your birthday with you afterward, okay? They're just taking extra precautions to keep me safe. Plus, I'll have Blakey with me, so don't sweat it."

Ruby lifted her face and gave a small smile.

"Alright."

That evening, after supper, Yang and Blake retired to the former's room as always, but Weiss left Ruby early.

"I'm going to be helping with preparations these next few nights," she explained. "I'll make sure everything's perfect for your party."

"But, Weiss!" Ruby quickly grabbed her hand to prevent her from leaving the room. "You can do that during the day, can't you?"

"Don't be silly. I'm with you all day, and I can't have you seeing things before the night itself. It'll spoil the surprise."

"I don't need a fancy party, though. I just need you."

Weiss smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek.

"I'm flattered. But I'm sure you understand that as your loyal knight and secret lover, I've got to make this event worthwhile for you."

"...But it's getting colder at night. I don't wanna sleep alone, and I don't want you to, either. You're not even gonna sleep at all, are you?"

"Of course I will," she reassured. "As for the cold... I'll have to request you bear with it for four more nights. But after we reveal our relationship at the banquet, perhaps your father will permit us to share your bed, as Blake does Yang's."

Ruby seemed to perk up at that notion.

"Yeah. Okay then. Just four more nights!"

"Four more nights." Weiss kissed her again, on the lips this time before pulling away. "Sleep well then, Ruby. I'll see you in the morning."

Ruby managed to return the kiss before Weiss pulled away and headed for the door. She waved at the image of her receding back until the door closed behind her.

Then, Ruby went to change, reminding herself it was one of the last nights she would have to sleep alone.

* * *

><p>Once she had brought Ruby to her room, Weiss worked several hours a night for the next four evenings.<p>

She was in charge of setting up the castle's extravagant ballroom that was only put into use for these occasions. With the help of several assistants, she had tables set up and decorations put into place.

By the time the fated night had arrived, the pale, tiled floors had been waxed and washed under her supervision, and colorful banners adorned the otherwise barren white walls.

There was a small platform, a stage of sorts at one end of the room, where the air allowed for a person's voice to carry quite easily across the length of the entire room, and she made certain that was spotless as well.

Ruby fretted about her knight every day, but each time Weiss reassured her with a kiss and sent her off to her room in the evening, never allowing her to sneak a peek at the ballroom.

Weiss had lost sleep, yes, but the place was immaculate, and she was intent on making this night perfect.

It was now the fated evening, and the tables were set up along the walls while the center floor was left spacious for dancing. Vases of white and red roses sat on every table, and dozens of bouquets hung up on the walls beside the lamps and candles as well.

The King had copious amounts of food shipped to his doorstep, which was always the case with the banquets. However, this time there was even more, as shop keepers and citizens who had enough to spare would offer a loaf of bread or an extra vegetable their gardens had produced.

The food would be distributed to other citizens in need without charge; the sense of compassion and unity these events brought his people were the main reasons the King continued to hold these parties.

But of course, the main focus this time was on his youngest daughter who would be officially entering adulthood. Considering her sweet tooth, various cakes and treats were being handed out and many were presently being brought out from the kitchens to be set up in the ballroom.

It was almost time, and Weiss was busying herself with last-minute preparations and check-ups.

The military's guards had just arrived, and the knight spared a moment to seek out her own commanders and companions.

Glynda was at the front of the castle gates amongst many other guards; Ozpin was back at the training grounds with the leftover members of the military, should their services be needed for any other emergencies that night.

The members of JNPR were overseeing the distribution of food to the eager citizens who lined up outside. Many came bearing gifts and happy wishes for the young princess, and the humble trinkets and flowers were being collected in baskets to hand over to Ruby at a later time.

The guards repeatedly voiced their dismay at being unable to allow people inside tonight, but the majority were docile and understanding about the reasons behind the King's cautions.

While she was here, Weiss slipped through the crowds and went to Pyrrha.

"How are things?"

"Ah, Weiss! It's grand to see you're doing well. I'm sure you did a lovely job with the banquet inside. Things are just fine here." She offered a smile before lowering her voice, her deep green eyes taking on a knowing look. "You should go to Ruby. It's almost time to bring her down, isn't it?"

Weiss gave a small nod.

"Right. Thank you for your assistance tonight, Pyrrha. And please thank the others for me as well."

"Of course!"

With a pat to the back, she saw Weiss off before turning back to the bustling crowds around her.

Weiss headed back inside, dipping her head as she passed the King himself who was about to venture outside to oversee things there before his daughter came down from her room.

Weiss scurried up the stairs, her armor feeling a bit heavier than usual as she made her way up. Ruby had been bathing until now, and Weiss knocked on her door when she reached it.

"Ruby? We'll be going down in a short while."

"Weiss? Come in! You can dry my hair for me!"

The knight sighed and rolled her eyes before opening the doors and stepping inside.

* * *

><p>Blake had expected Yang to be downhearted for being unable to attend her own sister's birthday banquet.<p>

But the blonde realized it was for the better to keep herself securely away from potential trouble the public could be harboring.

The halls outside were almost congested with guards, and Yang had requested Weiss bring Ruby to her once the event was over so Yang could congratulate her sister herself.

But until then, she nibbled on small snacks in her room where the windows were open and candlelight illuminated every inch in a gentle, yellow glow. The blonde stayed near her window, peering out down below to observe the crowds with a small smile.

Blake kept her ears perked and vision sharp as she stood at her side and scoured the masses below. Yang could sense her aide was anxious near the window, where arrows or rocks could potentially be shot toward them from displeased people, so the blonde only stayed there as long as she felt was necessary before closing the window and pulling the curtains over it. Blake visibly relaxed when they stepped away, shutting out the rest of the world.

"I bet Weiss is just going to get Ruby now," Yang guessed. "They're gonna have the time of their lives tonight, so why shouldn't we?"

She reached down and took Blake's hands in hers, pulling her to the open space beside the bed. Blake met her eyes as her princess leaned forward and hummed into her human ear:

"Dance with me, Blakey."

The sound of her nickname was what did her in so quickly, and Blake complied without protest. She slipped a hand into Yang's, bringing the other up to the girl's shoulder.

"I'm hardly dressed for such an occasion..." Blake muttered, casting a glance down to her simple robes and long skirt, her hair still tied in the usual low ponytail. "But I'd be honored to accept your offer, Princess."

Yang's lavender eyes sparkled when Blake called her that, and she pulled the Faunus girl in closer.

Neither led, neither followed; they simply moved in harmony, twirling one another, stepping slowly in rhythmic motions, pausing every few moments to steal a kiss or breathe a whisper of love.

Their dance was a quiet contrast to what was going on below in the ballroom, and they spared a moment to imagine Ruby and Weiss together there before they continued their secret dance around the room.

* * *

><p>When she entered Ruby's room, Weiss felt her heart began to thump madly at the sight of her princess.<p>

The dress she wore now was one not Weiss nor anyone else had ever seen her in before, and the white-haired girl felt a bit smug in knowing she was the first to bear witness to the sight of Vale's Princess looking like this.

The material was light, dyed crimson, overlapping layers lavishly folded upon one another to give a cascading effect. Her red cloak had been slipped on over it all, but it hardly looked odd to Weiss anymore, considering the girl always wore it over her attire if she intended to leave her bedroom.

Shoes to her ankles and gloves to her elbows matched in color, and all of her clothing was red, save from a single white rose that she had pinned to the left side of her collar. Her cheeks were florid and blushed pink, and her hair was damp and hanging down to her shoulders. She showed off her white teeth in a grin as she beckoned Weiss inside.

"Help me with my hair! I'll be ready to go after that!"

Weiss needed to remind herself of the process her body required in order to walk, and she breathed manually as she reached the girl who smelled of the very flower she held the name of. Weiss swallowed and remembered to inhale as she leaned down and placed a kiss on her cheek.

"You're so lovely, Ruby."

Her mist-blue eyes were alight with pride, joy, and the utmost adoration, and it made Ruby's stomach bubble with excitement.

Tonight, they would make their love known to the rest of the kingdom. They would not have to hide behind closed doors any longer.

Ruby lifted herself onto her tip-toes and pecked Weiss' lips timidly.

"Thanks, Weiss. You're really pretty, too."

Weiss chuckled as she retrieved a towel and brought it back to her charge.

"Oh, please. Spare your flattery. I'm still in this armor," she grumbled, padding through Ruby's hair.

"I know," the girl hummed. "But I also know for a fact that you're still really pretty! You always are no matter what!"

"Hush..."

"Awww, Weiss are you blushing?" She tried to turn around to see for herself, but Weiss kept her shoulders firmly facing forward.

"Of course not." With a final ruffle of the princess' hair, Weiss put the towel aside before reaching for a comb. Ruby wiggled happily under her gentle touch, waiting patiently until Weiss smoothed out the tangles. When she was finished, Weiss turned the girl around. "There."

"Thanks, Weiss!" Ruby wrapped her in a brief hug before pulling back. "Let's go, then! I can't wait another second!"

"Just one more moment." Weiss held up a hand to stop her from darting to the door, and Ruby tilted her head curiously.

Weiss reached into the pouch at her hip, beside her rapier, and drew out the head of a red rose. She brought it to her lips and pressed a kiss to the petals before tucking it into Ruby's hair.

"Happy birthday, Ruby."

She finished with a kiss to the girl's lips, and Ruby gladly accepted and returned it.

It was a moment before they parted, leaving both of them flushed.

"Thank you, Weiss," the princess said again. "I can't wait to finally... for everyone to know about _us_."

"I fear they already do," she muttered, remembering Yang's words. "But I feel the same way." She offered Ruby her arm, and the brunette slipped both hands onto her knight's elbow. "Let's go."

Weiss led her to the hallway, down the staircase and toward the ballroom. The guards they passed all dropped down to one knee in respect, and Ruby held her head proudly as she walked forward.

Her father waited for her at the entrance to the ballroom and Weiss let her go for a moment. The King murmured ancient words, placing his hands on his daughter's shoulders as he officially welcomed her into adulthood. When the brief ceremony was over, Ruby threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek.

From there, Weiss followed them into the ballroom, unable to keep the smile off her face as Ruby's jaw dropped instantly.

She marveled every aspect of Weiss' work in decorating the place, and while she also took a few moments to fawn over the food and treats, she was mainly baffled at everything else – everything _Weiss_ had done.

Every word out of her mouth was "Oh, wow..." or "It's beautiful!", all things that made her knight turn her face away to hide her blush.

It took a lot of Ruby's self-control not to hug and kiss Weiss then and there.

But they had decided to wait until the end of the night to reveal their relationship.

Until then, the ballroom was more or less theirs.

Guards lined the walls, and after a certain period of time, this group would be relieved and switch with others. Those on guard inside would be permitted to go outside and get some fresh air and assist with handing out food to the people.

There were a dozen or so other people in the ballroom as well; a few musicians playing joyous tunes on violins, as well as Ruby's tutors and trainers, the people who schooled her about Remnant and Vale and who gave her lessons every week, all of whom were formally dressed.

Weiss followed at her side as Ruby went to each of them to thank them for all they had taught her, and that she hoped they could learn her many more things in the future.

Her teachers kept to the tables and the sides of the room, much like the guards and musicians, leaving the stage and dance area vacant.

Weiss stopped her charge in the center, were the lighting was best, the music most audible, the scent of flowers strongest. She bowed low and kissed the back of her gloved hand as she made the request:

"May I have this dance, Princess?"

A healthy blush rose to the girl's cheeks as she nodded coyly.

Weiss straightened her posture and smiled before taking Ruby's hands and kissing them both. She moved them slowly around the open space, stepping in time with the enchanting music as the notes floated through the air to meet their ears.

Amused murmurs and satisfied comments could be heard in the tones of the voices around them, coming from all sides as they danced. The princess in her formal attire and the knight in hers; together they were the picture of perfection and partnership.

Ruby was amazed Weiss could move so effortlessly even whilst wearing her armor, but then she reminded herself Weiss had lived most of her life weighed down by the stuff.

Of course, Ruby had seen the older girl dressed in sleepwear a handful of times, but as they danced now, she could not keep herself from wondering what Weiss might look like in a dress.

She must have been getting distracted by the thought because she stumbled a bit. Weiss easily supported her weight and smiled hopelessly.

"Let's take a break for a moment, shall we? Refresh yourself with some water. I've got something to do anyway. I'll be back in but a moment."

It was difficult for Ruby not to ask her where she planned on going, but she bit her tongue and kept the questions down.

"Okay. But first-!" Ruby reached up into her own hair and removed the red rose there, slipping it instead into Weiss' white locks. "There. Now we match!" With the proud declaration, she puffed out her chest where the white rose was pinned. Weiss chuckled and dipped her head.

"We do indeed."

Weiss kissed the back of her hand one last time before bowing to her and heading off. She shared a few words with some of the guards before she left the ballroom.

Ruby took the liberty to share a dance with her father in the meantime, giggling at the height difference between them as he pulled her along gently.

Only when the onyx curtains tied to the sides of the stage were suddenly pulled and let loose to join together did he come to a halt.

"It looks like the show is about to begin," he said.

"Show?" Ruby titled her head and stepped to one side, peering around him to get a better view of the stage. With his daughter's attention entirely focused there now, the King left her silently to converse with his men.

The murmurs and music that had previously filled the room died down suddenly as if on cue; Ruby realized she seemed to be the only one who did not know what was going on. She glanced around, starting to feel nervousness bubbling up in her stomach, wanting to ask what was happening or if there was something she should be doing.

But before she got the chance, the lights around the room were extinguished, and the sole beam shone like a swathe of moonlight upon the stage.

Instant silence fell as all eyes went to the stage, anxious and waiting for whatever was to come.

Soon, there were heavy footsteps to be heard, and the King himself appeared, holding himself tall and proud before addressing the room in a bellowing voice.

"I would personally like to thank all who have gathered here today for my youngest daughter's banquet. Tonight, she becomes a woman, and a fine one at that, one whom I hope you all deem as fit to one day rule the kingdom of Vale when I am gone. She has much to do, but I am confident she can accomplish all that is thrown her away, both through her own willpower and wit, and with the assistance of those closest to her. Now then, without further adue, allow me to make way for the main act."

Applause went up as he finished speaking and removed himself from the stage. It was a moment before the audience was quieted again, and Ruby's eyes were fixated on the black curtains.

The sounds reached her first, sounds of dainty, delicate footsteps, shoes clicking pleasantly in time with one another.

Next, a collective and awestruck gasp flew lightly from the audience's lungs; all except for Ruby herself who was left entirely breathless.

A small young woman took her place on stage. There was an air of cool about her, and it was a relief after the heat of the room had started to become stifling.

Her skin was pale like porcelain and seemed to fade into the pure white fabrics of her dress. Luscious hair like an icy waterfall cascaded all down her back and came to a wavy stop at her hips.

Like untouched snow, she was pure white in all places but three: the soft, peachy pink of the scar over her left eye, the dazzling, vibrant blue of her eyes, and the splash of red from the rose in her hair.

Ruby thought her heart had stopped as she gazed upon her, and a wheezing, disbelieving whisper left her lips.

"_Weiss_..."

Her knight smile and lifted her gaze, her captivating eyes meeting Ruby's alone. There was something there that reminded the younger girl to breathe, and Ruby inhaled shakily, feeling the wobble in her legs as she was completely overwhelmed by Weiss' incomparable beauty.

Every soul in the room was smitten, but Weiss only had eyes for her princess.

Ruby traced her slim outline with her eyes, engraving this once-in-a-lifetime moment into her heart for safekeeping, adhering it to the back of her mind so she may call upon this memory again many years from now and still have it be as vivid as it was to her right now.

She felt water behind her eyes, stinging, and it was hard to keep it back. She hated to blink because every time she did, she missed a fraction of this moment.

Weiss smiled fondly at her all the while, her eyes conveying so much that needed not be spoken.

Then, a breath ghosted over her collar, and her pale lips parted.

The second she heard Weiss' voice, Ruby succumbed to her tears, letting them fall freely, though she never took her eyes off of her knight as she began to sing:

_"Golden sunrise, yellow dawn, lover's smile and mother's song,_

_Azure crystal, amethyst skies, lips that never let slip lies._

_Silver midnight, purple dusk, unyielding affection, undying trust._

_Purest water that freely flows, crimson velvet of the rose._

_Such things have beauty, but what can compare_

_To a princess like mine, with a heart so fair?"_

Her voice carried out over the expanse of the room like a miracle, and by the time the final note had been uttered, Ruby's face was already wet with tears.

The air was charged with profound emotion, one intended solely for Ruby herself.

Her hands went to her mouth as she did her best to conceal her whimpers of joy past little mumbles of her knight's name.

She was hardly even aware of the applause that went up afterward, nor was she able to feel her own legs as they started to move her forward. She staggered quickly onto the stage, covering the last stretch of space before throwing herself into Weiss' arms for all to see.

"Weiss, Weiss, Weiss!" No other words seemed to be working, and she was rendered unable to say what she wanted to. It was clear as to what was being revealed, and those around them embraced it with open arms, just as Weiss embraced her princess in return.

"I hope you enjoyed it, Ruby. Happy birthday." She pressed a kiss to the weeping girl's temple, holding back the one meant for her lips, but only for the moment.

Ruby repeated Weiss' name as she blubbered into her shoulder, joyfully enough to bring water to every eye in the room.

It was such a perfect night, and Ruby was easily lost in it to the point where nothing else was on her mind, nothing else mattered.

Only Weiss.

That was why she never anticipated what was to come.

* * *

><p>"Aww..." Emerald purred from her standpoint in the corner of the room. "Isn't that touching?"<p>

"Everything's ready."

Cinder licked her lips from beside her, the glow beneath her dark robes a silent reminder of what she had planned. Emerald hated to sound like she was doubting the woman, but she was uncertain.

"Are you sure you can make it from here?"

This was their only plan of action, after all. No matter the outcome, once it was over with, their only option was to retreat or be discovered.

But the woman's lips curved up into a devilish smirk that sent a shiver up the girl's spine.

"Have you ever known me to miss my mark?"

Cinder then sent a nod to the boy beside her.

Mercury took his cue and started to shout loudly:

"Grimm!" he cried. "They're attacking the castle! We need troops!"

Under the guise of being a solider in the military, the surrounding guards took his word seriously. Shouts of alarm went up immediately, and the soldiers began to scatter into position to prepare for the alleged battle that awaited them.

And it was no lie, either. The White Fang had been working painstakingly for the past several days and nights to herd as many Grimm as possible in the nearby forest. After much antagonizing, they directed the raging beasts toward the castle under Cinder's command.

The timing was flawless.

Cinder watched as the King himself rushed out of the ballroom, shouts of the guards around the castle drowning out all else as bodies rushed to follow his orders.

Briefly, Cinder mused how simple it would have been for an assassin to take the mighty ruler out amidst the fray.

But the King was not her target tonight.

She was after much more deadly prey.

_The cursed princess. _

The eldest sister was nowhere to be seen, nor was her Faunus aide, making things simpler than ever as the King and his soldiers filed out of the castle to meet the awaiting mass of monsters.

They were basically handing Cinder her prize on a silver platter.

For the longest time, she had thought the one who bore the curse was the older half-princess, considering the way her eyes would light up blood-red and her hair catch flame as searing as any dragon's breath.

And it seemed the rest of the kingdom had fallen for the same pretenses.

But it was not Yang Xiao Long who bore the Curse, and Cinder was more than certain of this.

The Dragon's Curse did not _give_ blood-red color to a person's gaze.

It _stole_ the color from one's eyes, turning them colorless, grey-

-_silver_.

From beneath her robes, Cinder drew her bow and single arrow, the only one she had manage to charge with stolen Dust. She laughed to herself at the ease of it all as the final guard disappeared from the room, leaving only herself, her fellows and two others.

She took aim across the room, aligning the tip of the hungry spear of her arrow with the girl's heart, wondering how _deeply_ red her dress would run when the blood was mixed into it.

A wicked whisper left her lips as she licked them.

"Farewell, dear princess."

She pulled back on the string until it was taut, waited until the Dust ignited the arrow ablaze-

-and fired.

* * *

><p>The magic of the night vanished like a wisp of calm cloud in the swirl of a tornado.<p>

Ruby watched in fear as her father and his men were alerted to the call of danger, the need to protect the citizens lined up and defenseless outside the castle taking precedence over all else. She stepped away from Weiss and looked around sharply.

"W-What's going on? Grimm? Now? But why? Th-There's usually _months_ between the times they're active! Th-They shouldn't be- w-why tonight?" Panic flared within her as she turned back to her knight. "Weiss, what should we-"

"We need to get out of here," Weiss hissed. "Quickly-"

But her voice died instantly when the rush of air met her keen ears, screeching silently as though being sliced through by something sharp...

Weiss saw the small flickering flames just seconds before they shot toward Ruby.

There was a shrill scream, then a dizzying impact as Ruby hit the floor _hard_, crying out in agony from the concussive throbbing that assaulted her body.

She tried to blink open her eyes, but all she could see was red.

She had thought it was just her own dress.

Until she saw it seeping into white, dyeing crimson the body that lie motionless before her.

Her heart was seized violently by claws of icy terror as a horrified scream ripped from her lungs:

"_WEISS!_"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: -**

**Chapter 10 preview: _It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before. There was a deafening crack, as though the earth itself had shattered. The castle shook, all of Vale and possibly all of Remnant shook, as though they were naught but marbles beneath the hooves of an endless stampede. The decorations dropped from the walls, some tables fell sideways, and everything felt like it was about to collapse._**

**Please review!**


	11. Chapter 10: Life And Death

**Thank you all so much for reading until the final chapter! I sincerely hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

><p>Chapter 10. Life And Death<p>

Ruby's mind was blank, barren, and her body felt numb.

Her jaws hung open in a silent, helpless scream, chest throbbing as she carefully gathered Weiss into her arms. Even the slight motion of moving her sent more blood spilling from where the arrow protruded at the center of her ribcage.

Ruby screamed again, too horrified to do anything else.

She could hear curses from the shadows, voices that hissed furiously before footsteps hurried off somewhere Ruby could not pinpoint.

She knew the arrow had been meant for her; for whatever reason, those people had wanted her dead. But Weiss, her faithful knight was always on alert, even on a night that should have been jovial and carefree.

And now...

"Weiss...!" Ruby's cries echoed about the empty room, and she could hear herself clearly – how weak she sounded, like a lost child.

Weiss' eyes were closed, her body limp in Ruby's arms, her aura doing little to heal the dire wound.

Ruby wanted nothing more than to remove the arrow, but she knew that Weiss would only bleed out faster unless there were medical personnel and supplies present.

But they were alone and had no such luxury. Her father and all of his men had rushed off to intercept the Grimm; there was no one left who could help Weiss now.

"Weiss-!" Ruby cried her name again. "Weiss, please! If you can h-hear me just... just open your eyes, _please!_"

The distraught echo of her voice carried around the ballroom and bounced back to her own eardrums. Her eyes were trained on Weiss' closed ones, and Ruby vigorously wiped the tears away to stop them from blurring her vision.

The arrow had met its mark at the center of her chest, and given their slight difference in height, Ruby knew that if Weiss had not shielded her, it would have pierced her own heart.

"It should be me..." Ruby mumbled, coughing on more sobs. "Weiss, you can't die! It should be me-!" She was screaming now, defiant of what was before her, unable to accept the cruel reality. "It's not fair! You _can't_ die, Weiss! I love you-!"

Ruby crumpled over her knight, the scarlet leaking slowly down from the wound, spreading through the fabrics of Weiss' pure white dress. Ruby screamed another broken sob into her collar, hiccuping as she inhaled to cry out again.

In a fleeting second of silence, she caught sound of a faint pulse in Weiss' neck, and Ruby quickly lifted herself up again.

Weiss was still alive.

She tried to channel her aura to share it with Weiss, but she knew it would do her little good; if anything it would only prolong Weiss' suffering.

"Weiss... you _can't _die... I need you..._ I love you._.. please don't leave me..." She sniffled hard before dipping her head, her trembling lips gasping before pressing an unsteady kiss to her knight's cheek.

Ruby bit her lip, feeling her warm tears leave her own face and pass on to Weiss', and she slowly moved her mouth to hers. Gently, she kissed her there, pushing air into Weiss' lungs, silently _begging_ her to breathe.

She sent her thoughts out, sent her aura, sent her love.

_Please, Weiss... please, oh god please..._

One of her hands found one of Weiss' and squeezed, praying for a twitch of her fingers – anything.

Ruby could only hope she had not imagined one.

She pulled back, rivulets of tears drenching her face, and her dress was stained with salt and blood. But her eyes remained focused on the girl in her arms, waiting expectantly for a miracle.

Weiss shuddered just before her pale lips parted and a thin breath escaped, her eyes fluttering open ever so slightly. Ruby felt a fresh wave of tears come over her.

"Weiss-!" She leaned over her, showering her with soft kisses, her tears running down all the while. "It's okay, it's guh-gonna be okay, Weiss."

She felt the older girl heave a breath, but it was feeble, almost non-existent with how weak it was. But somehow she managed to rasp a word on it.

"Ru...by..."

The princess' eyes lit up at the sound of her name.

"Weiss. You're gonna be okay. I-"

"Please... don't... lie to me..."

Ruby inhaled sharply and whimpered. Her wobbling smile faded and her face contorted as more tears came forth.

"I-I'm not... Weiss, I'm not lying... you're gonna be okay..."

"Ruby..." Her voice was delicate and soft, as if to say 'look at me...'

Weiss was accepting what lie ahead of her.

But Ruby refused to.

"No, Weiss-"

But then, her voice faded behind a much bigger sound.

It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

There was a deafening crack, as though the earth itself had shattered. The castle _shook, _all of Vale and possibly all of Remnant shook, as though they were naught but marbles beneath the hooves of an endless stampede. The decorations dropped from the walls, some tables fell sideways, and everything felt like it was about to collapse.

Ruby shrieked in fear, throwing herself over Weiss protectively.

"W-What was that?" she yelped. "Wh-What's g-going on...?"

She looked down to find terror in Weiss' eyes as well, but she had no answers either.

The rumbles of the mighty sound lasted only a few seconds and started to fade away soon afterward, and the castle stopped trembling. And then, silence ensued as though nothing had ever happened.

Ruby was motionless for a moment, still shaking, expecting some kind of explosion, as if a war were going to break out any second now.

A sputtering cough from Weiss was all that pulled her back to the present.

"Weiss?!"

When she next looked down, Weiss was heaving for breath in her lap. A single cough was quickly followed by a mouthful of blood and Ruby whimpered again.

Weiss' lungs were filling with blood. She was drowning.

"No, no, _no_..."

A whisper, a plea.

And then, Ruby's voice rose to its highest point, desperate and borderline insane.

"_NO! _Daddy! Yang! _Someone_ help! ...Mommy..."

She threw her head back and wailed, blubbering like the child she was.

She was helpless. She could do nothing for Weiss. The love of her life was _dying in her arms_ and Ruby was doing _nothing_ for her.

Weiss' coughing started to die down, and Ruby lifted the girl up again, squeezing her hand, rubbing her back and kissing her forehead. "Weiss... I... I don't know what to..." She shook her head, dislodging more tears in the process. "You can't die... if you die... I'll kill myself..."

Weiss grunted, and Ruby looked miserably down into her eyes.

"No you won't..." Weiss chided softly. "You've got... a kingdom to look after... only now..." A sad smile upturned her lips. "Only now... you'll need to find someone else... to look after _you_..."

"No, Weiss, no... don't talk like that..."

"Ruby..."

But before she could go on, Weiss picked up on the sounds of footsteps rushing their way. She feared the attackers had returned and was about to beg Ruby to run when another cough interrupted her.

Ruby watched her with tormented eyes before her gaze lifted to the entranceway of the ballroom. Two figures rushed in, and Ruby called desperately out to them.

"Yang! Blake! Please...!"

Yang looked up at the sound of her sister's voice.

"Ruby? What the hell was that huge-" She gasped when she finally caught sight of her sister. Blake froze beside her.

"Oh, no..."

Without wasting another second, they raced across the empty room, avoiding the fallen tables and objects before leaping onto the stage beside them. Yang dropped to her knees and embraced her little sister, though Ruby refused to let go of Weiss.

"Oh my god..." Yang whimpered. "Oh my god, what... what happened...?" She pulled back and looked down at Weiss. Ruby leaned into her sister's embrace and the tears started anew.

"She... She was singing for me... And then the next thing I knew th-the guards were shouting about a Grimm attack and then everyone ran out and-and in all the commotion... someone tried to shoot me but Weiss... _Weiss..._"

"No..." Yang shook her head. "Oh god, no..."

She kept one arm around Ruby and reached her other hand to Weiss, wiping some of the blood off her lip.

Blake knelt down beside the white knight, her golden eyes dismayed, appalled, and scared. Weiss' breath shuddered as she met the Faunus girl's gaze.

"Don't... give me that look, Belladonna... You'd have done the same for Yang..."

Blake's ears went flat as she was forced to listen to the gurgle of blood in the girl's throat.

"But I didn't have to..." she murmured. "This shouldn't have happened, Weiss."

"Well, it did," she said hoarsely. "And now that the... the two of you are here... there's only one thing left to do..."

All three of them were shocked that Weiss seemed to have an idea, and Ruby nodded her head, leaning down closer to her to listen. Weiss' breath was shaky against her ear, but the princess made sure to hear her every word.

"Please... bring me my rapier..."

Ruby sat back and gave her sister a questioning look, but Yang and Blake seemed equally confused.

And then it hit Ruby.

_The arrow she was struck with was infused with Dust! Weiss' rapier has Dust in its chambers so maybe somehow we can cancel them out or even heal the wound!_

Blake seemed to be thinking similar thoughts, but Yang was skeptical.

"I think we should try to find a doctor."

Weiss laughed dryly. "In... all of this chaos? You'd only be wasting your time... and mine..." Ruby tensed at those words, and Weiss continued. "All of the doctors are... l-likely on the battlefield. The Grimm are attacking and the... military is fighting as we speak... there will be no doctors here... so please..."

The slowness of her voice and breathing suggested Weiss was running short on time.

Ruby sent her sister an imploring look.

"Please, Yang. There's no other way..."

"Just-" Weiss forced her voice out once more before Yang could get up. "It needs to be done... somewhere else... so please take me outside... to the castle's courtyard... I don't want it to be here..."

Blake's ears flattened and she immediately tried to refute her.

"We can't move you while you're in that condition. It'll only make the wound worse and the blood flow faster. If anything, we should all compile our auras and try to heal the wound after pulling out the arrow."

Weiss met her eyes again. She could see the uncertainty in Blake's and she knew the Faunus girl was not entirely confident about her own suggestion. Weiss shook her head.

"Believe me... aura won't help me now..."

So there was only one other thing to do.

Blake hissed under her breath.

"Where is your rapier?"

"...My quarters..."

When Blake received her answer, she looked to Yang urgently. The blonde swallowed hard and gave Ruby another squeeze for reassurance, as much as she could muster.

"It'll be okay," she murmured. "There's gotta be a way..."

She stood, but before she and Blake could leave, Weiss called weakly out to them.

"Blake... Yang..." She looked up to each of their gazes in turn. "Thank you..."

There was something about the way she said it-

None of them liked it.

Blake nodded before swiftly turning away, as though unable to bear looking at the dying girl a second longer. Yang gave a small smile to Weiss before she and Blake tore off across the room and disappeared.

Ruby watched them go, and when she next looked down at Weiss, she wished she had not.

The blood had seeped into the entire area of her dress covering her torso, and she was shivering slightly. The once vibrant mist-blue eyes were now beginning to become dull, and Ruby's throat tightened.

Her knight blinked up at her, and there was a plea in her eyes, making Ruby remember she needed to bring her outside. She hesitated a moment, leaning down to kiss Weiss' lips gently.

"You'll be okay... I promise... Just hold on..."

Weiss gave her a withering look before closing her eyes, saying nothing.

Ruby did not know if it was better that she was saving her breath, or troubling that Weiss had not agreed with her.

Steeling herself, Ruby gathered Weiss properly into her arms and stood.

Almost instantly, Weiss curled in on herself and cried out in pain. Ruby hushed her with guilty apologies, kissing her cheeks again and again as she slowly walked them off of the stage and across the length of the ballroom.

Ruby assumed at least some of the guards might have been sent back to defend the castle, but there was no one else in sight. There was a creeping sense of trepidation that her attackers might still be present, waiting, so she kept her senses on high alert.

But there was nothing, no motion in the shadows other than her own, no sounds other than the tapping of her shoes and Weiss' struggling breaths.

In a matter of minutes, she had brought Weiss out to the courtyard where the grass was dyed a light bluish color beneath the moonlight. There was a howling breeze, and a foreboding shiver ran up Ruby's spine as she stepped quietly.

Past the wind, she could hear terrifying sounds; shouts of the military as they fought a vicious battle just beyond the castle walls. The citizens were shouting in fear, ordering their loved ones to take shelter in case the beasts broke through the King's ranks.

Ruby felt so sick.

She knew she should have been out there helping to keep things in order, helping to calm her people and offer them solace and some form of comfort.

But Weiss was dying in her arms...

She collapsed to her knees slowly, cradling Weiss with care as she sobbed into her collar. The night was cold, and her knight's body was growing equally so.

Weiss had yet to reopen her eyes or say a single word, and Ruby could hear her feeble pulse, fluttering faintly, growing softer by the second. The breath that left her body was impossible to notice, and if not for the thin wisps of white that ghosted over her lips, Ruby would have assumed she had stopped breathing altogether.

She tightened her embrace, begging for Yang and Blake to hurry.

She held a kiss to Weiss' chest, caressing her silken tresses.

"Weiss, stay with me, please. Just hold on..." Ruby pulled back to look down at her.

In the moonlight, Weiss' complexion was ashen, her skin a sickly pallor, her hair the color of dry bones, stark and lifeless. The red rose in her hair was falling apart, almost all of the petals having slipped off.

The sound of frantic footsteps over the grass alerted Ruby's attention, and she released a breath.

"Weiss, Yang and Blake are here. Come on you... you've gotta tell us what we have to do..."

Blake and her sister reached them just then, falling to their knees. Blake held Weiss' rapier, ears flat as she awaited instructions.

The distant sounds of battle and chaos unsettled them all, but none of them were leaving here until something was done to fix this.

Yang wiped her eyes and tapped Weiss' shoulder gently.

"Weiss, come on... you've gotta help us out... tell us what to do..."

There was no response from her, and Ruby felt her stomach flip, knotting painfully. She ducked her head down again, pressing an ear to Weiss' collar to listen for her heartbeat. What she found was almost inaudible, weak and straining, her breath shallow.

Ruby sobbed again.

"Weiss, no..." She lifted her head and held a long kiss over her scar. "Come on... you can do this..." Another kiss to her lips, and Ruby pushed her air inside. "Don't leave me, Weiss. I need you. I love you..."

The confession was no surprise to Blake or Yang, merely a confirmation of what they already knew.

Blake watched the entire scene anxiously, ears flat and hands shaking as they held the rapier, eager for something to do that could help.

Another moment passed, and still Weiss did not open her eyes.

Yang cursed under her breath.

"C'mon, Weiss..."

They were all crying softly now, their tears slipping down their cheeks and seeping into the cold soil.

Ruby wailed, wiping more blood away from Weiss' lips before kissing her again, _begging._

There was a soft tremble of her chest, and Weiss inhaled sharply, her eyes fluttering open like a small blessing. Ruby whimpered her name in relief.

"Weiss... we brought your rapier. S-So just... tell us what we have to do..."

Half-lidded blue eyes flicked to the side to see Ruby spoke the truth. Weiss wheezed a shuddering breath.

"Then please..."

Another cough, and Ruby leaned closer, held her tighter to listen better.

It was another painstaking minute before Weiss could speak again.

"Ruby..."

"Yes? Weiss, I'm here." She gazed down into Weiss' pained eyes, and Ruby knew she was fading.

Weiss inhaled again, and this time her voice came out on a sob.

"Ruby... please kill me..."

Even the distant shouts of the battle went silent then.

Ruby's throat constricted and her silver eyes were hollow. Blake and Yang had frozen in place, all hopes of finding a way to help Weiss entirely vanished now.

Ruby bit her lip hard and shook her head.

"Weiss... what are you saying? I can't-"

"_Ruby..._" Her voice was broken in a way that suggested she could not use it for very much longer. "Please. I'm sorry, but... I need you to do this. As your knight... there is no other way I would... rather die... than in the nostalgic castle courtyard... by the hands of my beautiful princess..."

Ruby wailed, falling forward into her knight's chest as she cried, all the while forced to listen to Weiss' fading heartbeat.

She wanted to scream that she refused to do it.

But she knew she had to.

For Weiss.

Somehow, it all felt terribly inevitable.

Slowly, Ruby lifted herself up, and her distraught eyes met Blake's panicked ones.

"Blake..."

There was a solemness in her voice now, all childish whimpers gone. She sounded old beyond her years, like this was not the first time she would have to take a friend's life.

The Faunus girl jumped, ears flattening against her scalp as she clung to the rapier.

"Ruby... you're-"

The princess nodded once.

Blake looked to Yang, and she was equally as appalled, equally as hopeless and dead inside. The blonde turned her eyes to her sister, then Weiss, and she let out a helpless growl.

"Weiss... damn it, you think I'm... I'm gonna let you turn my little sister into a murderer?"

There was a gurgling laugh, and it made all of their stomachs churn. Weiss squinted up at the elder sister in the moonlight.

"Yang... at this point... she'd be no murderer. She'd be a savior... she'd be... doing me a merciful favor..."

Yang cursed under her breath and looked away.

Ruby's eyes went back to Blake's and she held out one hand, nodding toward the rapier. Blake flashed a frightened look to Yang, horrified that she was going to allow this.

But when her eyes returned to Weiss' form – pale and weak and stained with her own blood – Blake understood just how badly she needed this.

The Faunus girl dipped her head and offered the weapon to Ruby.

Once Blake's hands were free, Yang took them, pulling her into a bitter embrace.

Blake made one last promise to Weiss.

"We're... we're gonna find who did this... and make them pay," she vowed.

"How are we..." Yang wiped her eyes. "How the hell are we ever supposed to find... someone like you for Ruby...?"

They were unsure if Weiss heard them or not, as her eyes had closed once again.

Ruby leaned down, kissed her once more, and earned one last glance at those mist-blue pools.

The princess forced herself to speak, her voice trembling and yet firm; she needed to say this with surety.

"I love you, Weiss. More than anything. I'll always love you, no matter what..."

"I... love you... Ruby..."

One last sob.

One last kiss.

Then, Ruby laid Weiss down gently into the cool grass and stood.

She steeled herself, forcing the shaking in her arms to stop as she position the rapier's tip just above Weiss' heart.

Her knight's eyes had closed for the last time.

Ruby acted before she could stop herself.

A howl tore from her throat, taking most of her spirit with it as she plunged the blade down, piercing soft white flesh until the sanguine blood poured freely.

. . .

. .

.

. .

. . .

She could feel Weiss' final heartbeat as though it were her own.

And yet somehow, just before it finished, something... _happened_.

The night that had shrouded all of Vale in blue and silver now took on an orange tint, like the rust of forgotten treasures. The moonlight changed colors, dyeing the rest of Remnant in candle-like beams.

There was a mighty gust of air, one that made the surrounding forest tremble in its wake.

Ruby knew not how she managed to stay on her feet, sobbing and using only Weiss' rapier for support as she leaned her weight into it, standing over its owner's body.

But in that split second, everything seemed to freeze, even the screams and shouts of the distant battle in the forests.

As her tears dripped repeatedly down onto Weiss' still form, Ruby struggled to open her eyes, having noticed the orange mist that surrounded her now.

She refused to look down at Weiss' body, and instead looked to Blake and her sister, wrapped in an embrace like stone.

They... were not moving.

It did not seem like anything was, other than herself, and only the sounds of her own sobs echoed through the air now. She wiped her eyes and looked around - anywhere but down.

Another almighty gust of air caused her to direct her gaze to the night sky, toward the only other source of sound and motion.

She collapsed to her knees, but could not tear her eyes away from what she saw.

Deep red skin stretched tight between the junctions of two giant wings, their sheer massiveness easily blocking out the moon and the stars. The claws at the end of each wing were all the size of horses, curling into deadly hooks that could sear stone clean in half.

A puff of orange mist steamed out from a pair of nostrils atop a large, broad head, depicted just like it was in the ancient scrolls.

Eyes like the gold his kind had hoarded for centuries. Scales hard and scarlet like the dried blood of enemies. Neck thick and long, body as great as the royal castle, tail long enough to wrap around the Emerald Forest entirely.

Ruby gazed upon the Ancient Dragon and was humbled, awed, and terrified.

There was no other thought in her mind in that instant, though her hand did subconsciously curl around Weiss' still one.

The princess dipped her head, not sure what to expect; was he here to set their world aflame once and for all? To devour every last one of them?

The orange mist he breathed grew thick around her, and she realized he intended to land.

That was the first time she glanced down at Weiss' body. The rapier Ruby herself had stabbed her with still protruded, just inches above the deleterious arrow.

But the fresh blood was no longer a vibrant red – rather it was a subdued orange color.

Upon looking up and blinking past her tears, Ruby found the same mist surrounded Blake and Yang, who still had yet to move.

Before she could get the chance to consider another thought, the slow flapping of the mighty wings got closer. She looked skyward to watch the superior beast land in the courtyard before her, his claws sinking gently into the earth, tail swishing out over the dead grass behind him as if to rouse it.

His eyes went directly to Ruby's, pitch-black pupils narrowed to slits, and his great mouth curved to reveal dozens of pearl-white fangs, each the size of swords.

Ruby did not budge, certain there was nothing she could do before such a presence.

Perhaps this was her punishment for killing Weiss. If so, she would gladly accept it and join her on the other side.

There was a faint ringing in her ears, as if something was trying to get inside her head, and there was little she could do to prevent it.

Then, a soft yet deep voice echoed through her skull:

_"Greetings, young princess."_

Ruby gasped, but it did not take much to realize the Dragon was... speaking to her.

There were a thousand things she could have said in return, a million questions she could have asked. And yet she was too baffled to ask anything other than what she did.

"You... You can talk?!"

His eyes closed, teeth showing in a grin as laughter like thunder rumbled through her mind.

_"Dear girl. I've been alive as long as this planet itself. I know every language, even the ones you cannot hear or make sense of."_

Ruby did her best to keep her jaw from dropping.

He sounded weary, tired, and old. There was a sadness in his voice that reminded her of a grandfather who had lived long enough to see all of his children and grandchildren perish. His was a voice that spoke of a burden infinite knowledge and just as much wisdom.

When it was clear there was no malice in his eyes, that he did not intend to kill her – at least night right away – Ruby scrambled for something to say.

But the Dragon beat her to it.

_"I'll have you know I haven't had such a good laugh in a thousand years. You're a peculiar one, Ruby Rose."_

She was about to ask how he knew her name, but quickly remembered why that was hardly a surprise. So she parted her lips and spoke cautiously.

"Why... are you here?"

The Dragon tilted his head to one side before letting out another puff of orange air.

_ "Right. I presume my motives and intentions of being present here this time are unclear. But I assure you, the reasons I am here now are not the same reasons I have shown myself to humanity in the past. No – I am here now to put an end to my curse. And yours." _

Ruby blinked up at him and wiped her eyes once more.

"My... _my_ curse...?" She looked down at Weiss' motionless, blood-stained body before her, and her hand tightened helplessly around those stark white fingers. "I'm sorry but... I-I don't think you can do anything to help me now. Weiss is... already gone..."

The Dragon let out a low hum, as though he were considering a few things. He then lowered his head, curling his body up into a more comfortable position as he folded his wings onto his back and settled before her.

_"Silly girl,"_ he rumbled._ "Have you not noticed how your sister and her friend have frozen in time? The same is true for the Grimm and the people in the forest, as well as for the rest of the planet."_

He gave another puff of rustic air.

_"I have stopped time for all but yourself and I. Were I to resume it, your knight would breathe her final breath, but as things stand, she lives yet. Just barely – but she lives. But there are some things I need to discuss with you first and foremost." _

Ruby was silent and unmoving as she listened to his voice in her head.

Weiss... was still alive.

Even after all she had been through, all she had _suffered_ in these past painstaking moments.

She did not know how to react to such a thing, but she knew that aside from holding onto an iota of hope, she could do nothing more but listen.

She was scared to beg him to spare Weiss' life, worried that if she asked something of that greedy nature it could put him into a fit of rage. If it was equivalent exchange he wanted, Ruby would give it to him; she could risk a bargaining dragon, but not a furious one. So for now she was silent.

The Dragon sensed her fretting and flicked his tail once.

_"I am about to bestow many truths upon you. Listen now, and ask later." _

Ruby met his eyes again and nodded steadily.

His voice rang in her head shortly afterward:

_"The first curse I ever gave to humanity was in fact the only curse I ever gave them. But at the time, I was so full of rage, so blind in my anger that the ill-intent with which the curse was cast manifested. _

_That malice took form, not only in Grimm, but it seemingly gave the curse a mind of its own – an ability to pass on from person to person indefinitely. It was an error in judgement on my part, and I was entirely powerless to stop it, even in my levelheadedness. __The actions I had taken in my rage would forever hold consequence, and Faunus and humankind's curse was a constant reminder to myself of my own recklessness. They suffered due to my own carelessness._

_The process of passing along this curse has gone on for a thousand years, and for a thousand years, I have struggled to discover a way to put a stop to it - to no avail."_

Here he paused, and grinned again.

"_Until now." _

Puzzled, Ruby's eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

The beast continued:

_ "It is a strangely simple solution... You are aware that you, young one, are the one who harbors my curse, are you not?" _

The girl's posture straightened instantly.

"It was... me? Not Yang?"

_"It appears you never knew," _he grunted. _"But this wouldn't be the first time a host was unaware of their burden until it was too late." _

Ruby's heart clenched as her gaze inevitably went back down to Weiss, still and cold and almost ghostlike, the only color on her person being the red of dried blood and a faint dusting of orange.

The Dragon sensed Ruby's discomfort and continued his discourse.

_"In the past, those who bore my curse were often shunned by others, shamelessly ostracized or exiled to die alone, so no other could be harmed by the curse. Some took on a mindset of self-sacrifice and would willingly take their own lives. Others still would use their misfortune to take as many lives as possible before they themselves perished. And they often did such things subconsciously, even before they bore knowledge of their curse. Once they knew of the dark magics they harbored, their senseless acts of violence would only increase and become more severe." _

The regret and disappointment in his tone lingered for a moment, but with his next phrase it vanished.

"_But not you. Even though you did not know of your curse until now, the fact that it is you who bears it should mean that yourself and everyone around you is discomforted by your presence, even without knowing why. For years now, you should have been seething with an inner hatred, and other horrible feelings._

_"And yet, you were always joyful. Even as a future ruler of this kingdom, you never once pondered thoughts of killing or being killed simply for the purpose of seeing bloodshed. __There is a light in you that was never present in any other person who bore my curse. And it is that very light that allowed me to finally see the solution to all of this." _

He lowered his head to the ground, his gaze slipping away from Ruby's for a moment to instead travel over Weiss.

"_Your knight knew all along that you – not your sister – bore the curse. She kept quiet for your sake, no matter what might become of any others involved, no matter how much that silence hurt her or anyone else. __When you slept and she left you at night, she would retreat to the archives and research for hours, piecing together parts of this puzzle that no one else ever could. She learned the truth behind your colorless eyes. _

_"And still she never abandoned you, never feared you, never left your side. Instead, she loved you unconditionally. She knew that loving you was a death sentence, and yet she never left you." _

He nudged Weiss gently with his muzzle and met Ruby's eyes again.

_"Even at the cost of her life, she never left your side. And there is no doubt in my mind that even after her soul had left its vessel that her spirit would have stayed by your side until you joined her in death." _

He lifted his head slowly, blinking once. Ruby had started to cry again, each drop seeping into the dusty soil, providing a small quenching to the arid earth.

The Dragon gave a small nod.

_"Such pure tears..." _

Ruby sniffed, gasping softly as she reached out a hand to Weiss' face. Her knight's pale lips were parted in a cry of pain – what should have been her last.

And yet Weiss' expression was one of acceptance, and even relief that Ruby of all people had been the one to take her life.

Ruby moved close to her, resting the girl's head in her lap, feeling the chill of her silken hair.

The Dragon watched with silent eyes, ever-patient until Ruby was ready to hear more of his words. She looked up, wiped her tears again, and nodded.

_"Actually,"_ he began. _"Your mother came very close to breaking the Curse herself. But in the end she was overcome with fear and fled her kingdom, her family, and everyone she ever loved who loved her in return. She did not believe those around her loved her enough to want her to stay. She did not trust them, and she had doubts in herself. __When your sister had been under the impression she bore the Curse, she'd intended to take a similar course of action._

"_But not you, or your knight. She gladly accepted her fate, because she knew your curse. Your curse, Ruby Rose, is to – with your own two hands – kill the one that you love dearest. And for you to kill her proved your eternal affections for her. _

_"She accepted that, she trusted you, and she loved you without question or doubt. And that is part of what lights the path to what can break this curse. Accompanied by the natural light in your heart, it might be just enough to illuminate the answer that will put an end to all of this once and for all. Both of your souls are entirely pure - untainted." _

His words sunk into Ruby's mind slowly, one by one. But everything made perfect sense, as though she had always known these things somewhere in her soul.

She felt it was now or never if she was going to make any kind of request. Resolved, she bore her unwavering gaze into his.

"Can you... save Weiss?"

He was silent, but something told her he had been expecting such a question.

He chose his words carefully:

_"Whilst I may be able to stop time, I cannot give it back."_

Ruby continued to hold his powerful gaze, seeking more from him.

He admired her forwardness, and continued:

_"However, you and your knight have provided me with an answer I have searched fruitlessly for a thousand years to discover. And, under my spell of frozen time, your knight has yet to breathe her last. Therefore..." _

He leaned forward, his face mere inches from Weiss.

_"I believe that in exchange for such invaluable knowledge, I may be able to give back the heartbeats that were prematurely stolen due to a curse I myself cast." _

Ruby held her breath and dared not move as she watched the great beast.

His jaws parted, and a glow like the colors of a winter sunrise lit behind his teeth. He clamped his jaws carefully at the tip of the rapier's hilt and extracted it from Weiss, dropping it aside - and yet not a speck of blood left her body.

Then, he removed the arrow infused with Dust and swallowed it, a sound almost akin to a purr rumbling in his chest. The Dust stirred within him, glowing as it worked its way back up his throat and sparkling to life on his tongue. A gentle roar left him as he released his breath; it was like fragments of a rainbow spiraling down over Weiss, seeping into her colorless form.

Ruby watched, sending out her silent prayers of love for the girl in her arms.

When the last bit of color had absorbed into Weiss' skin, Ruby leaned forward and kissed her frozen lips.

There was a low growl and a long sigh from the Dragon above them, and Ruby lifted her face again to observe him. He raised his head to the sky and let out a long, thin hum.

It was a sound of release, tranquility, and peace.

It was the sound of a beast who had been confined to darkness and distress for a thousand years finally breaking free.

Ruby shivered, and five words rang through her head; there was a magic about them like no other:

_"The curse has been lifted..."_

She looked closer, and she could tell he was smiling.

And in that moment, it felt like something changed in herself as well, like a small coil of misfortune had been uprooted and disappeared.

She was free.

The silence ensued for a while, and she feared breaking it.

But when the great Dragon started to uncurl his wings, she knew she needed to speak up.

"If... If the curse is broken... what does that mean...?"

His smile never faded as he returned his golden eyes to hers.

_ "It means that mankind is free from my old mistake,"_ he rumbled._ "Of course, humans and Faunus have plenty of their own struggles to overcome, but no longer shall the curse of a dragon haunt your people. The Grimm will no longer attack you, so long as you let them be. In time, balance will be restored, just as your mother wished." _

His wings stretched out to feel the air, and his tail unfurled.

Ruby called out to him again.

"But what about you? If your curse is broken then... what happens to you?"

He paused in his motions only to laugh again.

_"My dear princess. I'll have you know you're the first to make me laugh twice in a thousand years, let alone twice within such a brief amount of time." _He lowered his head, still smiling. _"I sense you fear the end of my curse signifies the end of myself?"_

Ruby nodded her head timidly.

Still, he smiled.

_"Precious child. I shan't perish until Remnant itself crumbles and becomes dust in the universe. Until then I will rest at the center of the planet until something calls me forth once again. _

_"In the past, I would awaken every hundred years or so, angry at myself for being unable to break the curse I had cast upon this world, even after so long contemplating it. _

_But now that it has been lifted, no such blinding rage resides within me any longer. I will spend my future years recollecting all I have learned – all you and your people have taught me – to ensure these mistakes never happen again."_

He glanced briefly down to Weiss, then back to Ruby.

_"Come springtime, I promise to display my gratitude to you and your knight." _

"Spring...?" Ruby repeated.

He nodded and extended his wings fully, so that they covered the sky.

_"Trust me when I say it will be a time you will never forget." _

And with those words lingering in her mind, she watched as he flapped his wings, and rise up.

The place where he had rested was not flattened, but rather the grass was budding with small flowers, even in the winter cold. The wind his wings propelled shed the dead leaves and branches off of the trees to make way for new ones in the near future.

He climbed up higher into the sky before vanishing altogether within the blink of an eye, the only evidence he had been there at all being the orange mist he left behind him.

Ruby waited, anxious and yet knowing what was to come.

There was great shaking of the world beneath her, akin to the one she had felt before while inside the castle, and she now recognized it as the Dragon parting the tectonic plates of the planet to return to his dwelling deep within.

Then, stillness returned to the time-frozen world.

A moment later, the orange mist started to dissipate and the moonlight took back its omnipotent glow.

Time resumed its reign once more, and Ruby almost felt as though everything she had just experienced had all been a dream.

It was odd to hear Yang's and Blake's soft sobs resume, as the sounds reached Ruby's ears from the outside, and did not come to her from within her mind as the Dragon's voice had.

But there was something else – something much greater – that proved her existence with the Dragon just now had not been a figment of her imagination.

There was a thin gasp from her lap, and Ruby instantly looked down.

The tears that had been trying to dry jumped back behind her eyes in a matter of seconds before spilling forward.

Weiss was coughing in her lap, her chest rising lightly with each bout, but there was no blood this time. The cruel red was still encrusted into her white dress, but her fatal wounds had been healed.

The only other splash of red on her person was the rose in her hair Ruby herself had placed.

The young princess held her breath, putting a palm to her mouth as her cheeks rose uncomfortably up to squish her eyes as the tears continued.

Weiss was breathing again.

She wanted to believe it was real, but she was unspeakably scared it was a cruel illusion.

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lip as she started to tremble, completely unaware of Blake and Yang being freed from the halted time behind her. Their faces were wet with tears as well as they parted from one another, looking meekly to Ruby as they listened to her strangled sobs.

Yang was about to call out to her, to tell her to leave Weiss' body for now and to come away from it to settle down.

But when she observed her sister closely in the moonlight, she was baffled by the scene before her.

Apparently she was not the only one.

Blake's ears had flattened as she looked to Yang and to Ruby and back again.

Neither was certain of what they saw, but neither wanted to say anything about it either, lest it ruin the scene before them.

And yet Ruby knew it was no illusion.

Weiss was coughing softly in her lap, her wounds healed by the ancient Dragon's kind act of mercy.

But Ruby waited another painstaking moment, just to make _sure_...

And like a miracle, Weiss' eyelids lifted, slowly and as if the moonlight pained her vision. But the vibrant blue color they revealed was the last indication Ruby needed to confirm this was reality.

"Weiss...?"

Her voice was tentative, muffled behind her palm as she swallowed sloppily, inhaling a shaking breath.

For a moment, all four of them seemed to hold their breaths, waiting for something obvious but still so necessary.

Weiss breathed first, and it was a feeble breath, but it was all she required to whisper what was most important to her:

"Ruby..."

At the sound of her name, the girl dropped the hand from her mouth and sobbed aloud, eyes unable to stay open a second longer as the tears soaked her face anew. She caressed Weiss' face with one hand, the other finding one of Weiss' where it rested over her stomach. Ruby squeezed her hand with a gentle desperation before she leaned forward and collapsed softly onto her knight's chest.

"Weiss...! _Weiss!_"

She was only vaguely aware of Blake and Yang's dumbfounded murmurs and questions coming form behind her; she could tell them about the Dragon later.

But for now, Ruby needed _this_.

She clutched onto Weiss' small hand for dear life, her other fingers surprisingly less fervent as they laced through her white bangs, stroked over her cheek.

Ruby was hysterical, whines and whimpers dragging up the back of her throat and tumbling past her lips in blubbering hiccups, wailing and letting out her voice as much as she had to.

But they were relieved cries, ones that could only be elicited from the lips of a girl who had watched the love of her life die – _killed her herself_ – and then by some miracle get her back.

Her mind was a discombobulated mess, her chest even more so, but the release of her tears and sobs was liberating. Between them all, Weiss' name slipped out again and again.

Weiss could not refuse her princess' actions, for although she had not been conscious for what seemed like a long while, she felt she had an inkling of what might have transpired in that courtyard.

So Weiss lay quietly in Ruby's embrace, closing her eyes and using that time to remember how to use her lungs. She was frightened there would be excruciating pain, like there had been before. But she found all of that had vanished, save from a very slight ache in her sternum; and that was something she would gladly welcome if it meant the rest of the pain had passed.

They forgot the rest of the world for a while and simply cried – sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly.

Yang was not as bad as her sister, but she needed to bury her face in Blake's shoulder to keep her voice down. Disbelieving as she was, she knew she would worry about answers later, but for now it was better not to question things.

Blake held her tightly, taking occasional glances over to the other two as if expecting it all to have been a fabrication after all. But she could hear Weiss' soft sobs for herself, and her ears flicked enough times to convince her of the realness of it all.

Yang clung to her, and Blake hushed her, kissing the side of her face and the top of her head, cajoling her to get the sobs out of her system.

Ruby continued to cry as well, her voice rising up into the cool night. She was shivering for a lot of reasons now, but she did not care. There was an almost timid warmth coming from Weiss, but it was warmth nonetheless. She could feel her knight's fingers twitching gingerly in her own, curling and uncurling slowly, as though she was trying to remember how to use them.

After a while, Ruby's throat was starting to run dry, and her voice turned rasping from excessive use, her sobs growing quieter. She was exhausted, as though she had just lived an entire lifetime within the course of an hour, and perhaps in some ways, she had done just that.

She felt almost as though she were about to fall asleep, but she refused to give in to such a temptation so soon.

She needed more than this.

When she finally grew still and her cries subsided, it was easier to get the proof she sought.

She could feel Weiss breathing faintly beneath her; it was not weak, but rather pacified. Ruby slid the hand on Weiss' cheek away to support her shoulders instead, scooping her up a little and pressing herself as close as possible.

Another small sob escaped her when she had quieted herself enough to hear the beat of Weiss' heart. It felt like mere moments ago when that sound had been dwindling, and coming to a premature stop.

But now it was a stronger rhythm, slow but full – _alive_ – and Ruby needed the reassurance of its sound more than anything.

"Weiss..." she whispered. "God, _Weiss_..."

She just wanted to listen to that sound and fall asleep here and now – the rest of the world could wait until morning.

But she stopped herself from losing grip on her conscious when she felt Weiss cough again, very softly. Ruby pulled herself back, her eyes fearful as she met Weiss'.

"Oh god, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Weiss. It-It's probably hard for you to breathe like this, I bet you hurt all over, oooh god I'm so sorry..." She dipped herself down again, one hand caressing the girl's face as the other massaged slow circles over her collar to help her breathe easier.

Weiss sighed, going almost limp beneath her touch, but she too refused to let her conscious slip away just yet.

"Ruby, it's alright..." she murmured. "I'm okay."

Ruby whimpered and shook her head.

"No, Weiss. I-"

She stopped however when an unmistakable sound reached their ears.

Rather, it was an assortment of sounds – voices and hooves, armor and movement.

The troops had returned.

Yang and Blake heard it as well, and the two girls quickly wiped one another's tears before helping each other up to their feet. They stumbled over to the other two, none of them sure what to say or where to start. Ruby looked up at them, conflicted.

Yang cleared her throat and went first.

"Ruby... I... I don't know what the hell just happened. I don't... I mean I can't make any sense of it..." She got down on her knees beside them and took one of Weiss' hands in both of hers, rubbing her smooth skin gently. "I don't know what's going on... and something tells me you do?"

Her eyes were fixated on Ruby's.

Her younger sister seemed to be considering things for a moment before she nodded once.

Yang went on. "I figured as much. But... you can tell us later, okay? Dad's home now. We should... we should get you guys inside and get you some help. You can tell him everything then, okay?"

Ruby sniffled, and when she blinked again there were more tears.

"Okay..."

Her eyes went back to Weiss' enervated ones. The white-haired girl sighed again, her breath a soft puff of white as she did her best to smile. Ruby reflected the gesture, chuckling softly.

Then, she leaned down and kissed her gently, so tenderly it made Weiss cry harder, but she never broke the contact.

Ruby tried to channel everything she felt into that kiss, all of her love, her elation, her bliss and thankfulness, hoping Weiss could _feel_ it.

And she did.

Weiss felt everything, and she did her best to tell Ruby as much without words.

At last, the brunette pulled away, and it was hard not to go back for another, but she did not want to hinder Weiss' breathing anymore. Her knight's eyes were fluttering closed now, the exhaustion overtaking her.

But not before one last whisper left her:

"I love you... Ruby..."

Ruby nodded and hugged her gently.

"I love you, too. More than anything."

She felt Weiss' last conscious breath leave her body, and then she was still, led softly away into a world of dreams.

Ruby sat up again, wiping away more tears as Yang slid closer. Her sister ran her fingers through Weiss' bangs, mumbling incredulous words all the while. Her fingers uncurled at the side of Weiss' neck, checking for a pulse just to be sure. Once she had found it, Yang met Ruby's eyes again, lavender swirling with a million questions. But she could see just how badly Ruby needed rest, so she held her tongue for now.

"Let's go back inside," the blonde murmured. "It's cold out here."

Blake knelt beside them, her gaze flicking between the sisters.

"I'll take Weiss. Yang, I think you should help Ruby."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

Blake slid closer to Ruby, and it almost pained the younger girl to let Weiss go, to feel her warmth leaving her lap. But she knew they needed to do this, and she carefully transferred her knight into Blake's gentle arms.

The Faunus girl scooped her up, one arm beneath Weiss' knees and the other beneath her shoulders. She felt light, like nothing at all without her armor now, and Blake too soon found herself with Yang's doubts that the girl was actually alive. She dipped her head and pressed a soft ear to Weiss' collar, more than surprised to hear the faint thumping of her heartbeat.

Meanwhile, Yang got to her feet as well, taking Ruby's wrists and supporting her unsteady balance.

When she was finally on her feet, Ruby felt she could not stand for a second longer, a combination of relief, exhaustion, and the fading scare of it all weighing heavily upon her. She threw her arms around her sister and the wheezing sobs started again.

"Yang..." she rasped. "Y-Yang... Weiss, she- oh god..."

"Shhh, easy lil' sis." Yang bent down to lift Ruby up into her arms in the same manner Blake was holding Weiss. "I don't know what happened but... I know it was hard for you. Harder than anything. But you made it through, Ruby. You _both_ did."

Yang tucked Ruby beneath her chin, rubbing her back as best she could from this position.

"It's okay, Ruby. Weiss... is alive. She's gonna be okay. We all are." She kissed Ruby's head, feeling her sister nod vigorously against her shoulder, but crying too much to say anything. "Shh, shh... Don't worry. I've gotcha."

It was not long afterward when Ruby went still, her whimpers dying down into little snores.

Yang met Blake's patient eyes and they shared a nod.

They left Weiss' rapier behind to collect tomorrow, and headed off toward the castle with the precious girls in their arms.

. . .

They had been entering the castle at the same time the King and his men had returned, so naturally, they were seen right away.

Yang's father ran to her when he saw Ruby limp in her arms, but the blonde quickly reassured him, telling him all she knew, promising Ruby would shed light on everything tomorrow. He noticed the blood that soaked Weiss' dress, and when they told him she was alright, he refused to believe them.

He sent for a doctor, and once she had been fetched told Blake and Yang to take the girls to be changed and tended to.

As they were making their way slowly up the stairs after the doctor, Blake's sharp ears caught sound of many mumbles and phrases from the men and women in the castle below.

Evidently, the White Fang had been in the forest as well, slaughtering Grimm left and right as they so loved doing. The King's soldiers and military had tried both to stop the senseless killing while still trying to defend themselves.

It had been a chaotic scene, all while under the shroud of night.

But during the middle of the battle, the Grimm had suddenly come to a collective halt and retreated immediately, as though a greater presence had ordered it. The White Fang had slipped away into the shadows, and though puzzled, the King and his men had started the march home soon afterward.

There were many questions that needed answering, but it appeared the only person who knew the answers was asleep in her elder sister's arms.

There was a silent, collective agreement throughout the castle to save explanations for the morning.

Presently, Yang called out to the doctor in front of her as they walked down the castle hallways.

She directed the woman to Ruby's quarters, and they all slipped inside. The doctor turned on every light as Yang and Blake laid the sleeping girls down onto the bed beside one another.

A quick once-over of Ruby had the doctor declaring she was merely fatigued and that a good rest would be her only medicine.

But she could not fathom how Weiss had clearly lost so much blood and slept now as though nothing had happened.

Yang and Blake told her all they knew, about how she had been struck with a Dust-infused arrow.

The woman merely shook her head, utterly baffled. "It didn't pierce her heart, but it was close," she told them. "She bled out slowly. There's over a pint of blood in her dress. She should be dead... But she's in stable condition."

Yang and Blake carefully undressed the two girls, peeling away their blood-soaked dresses and slipping them into looser, warmer nightgowns. The doctor could do nothing more than check pulses and breathing and deem both girls to be more or less fine.

They fetched two glasses of water and placed them by the bedside table, but that was all.

When all had been said and done, Yang thanked the doctor for her services before the woman left the room, reminding them to call for assistance in the night should they require it.

Blake sought Yang's eyes then, and it was clear to each of them how tired they were as well. Faunus ears flicked uncomfortably as Blake went to the bed and ran her fingers lightly over Weiss' forehead.

"I don't want to leave them alone tonight."

"Yeah," Yang agreed. "Me neither. We can crash on the floor, I guess."

"No princess of mine is sleeping on the floor," Blake declared.

She then left the room only for a moment, long enough to journey to Yang's quarters and bring back a thick blanket and a nightgown for her. She tossed them at Yang before shedding her own clothes and slipping quickly into the loose pants and baggy shirt she had brought for herself. Yang changed as well, putting her dress aside before laying out the blanket on the ground.

"It's still technically the floor," she noted.

"On a blanket. Not the floor directly," Blake corrected her.

They turned off the main lights, leaving only several candles aglow all around the room.

Before they settled, they went to the bed one last time.

Blake looked over each girl in turn, watching the rises and falls of their chests in the darkness. Yang leaned down to kiss Weiss' forehead before skirting the bed and doing the same for Ruby.

"Rest up, you two," she murmured. "We'll be right here if you need anything."

Her gaze lingered for a moment, as if to make sure they were both really there.

Then, she felt a light tug on her wrist as Blake coaxed her toward their makeshift bed.

They all but collapsed to their knees before rolling the blankets out, slipping underneath, and pulling them back up over themselves. It was a cold night, but they never would have guessed it as they wrapped one another in tight embraces, breathing together.

The two shared a few clumsy kisses and heartfelt murmurs in the darkness before they could stay awake not a second longer.

There was a unanimous sigh, one that said they would deal with things in the morning, and then they were still, welcoming slumber and the healing it promised.

* * *

><p>Ruby woke in the stillest hour of the night, the one where it was far too late for any person to be healthily awake, and far too early for any creature to be stirring.<p>

It was the hour that bred melancholy, and possibly even a bit of uncertainty, but somehow seemed to transcend fear.

She blinked her eyes open to a dark room, illuminated only by several candles about the room on shelves or dressers. She did not remember right away what had happened to herself, and a slow turn onto her side found her gazing down at the floor.

Blake and Yang were there, wrapped in one another's arms, quiet and peaceful.

All was still and quiet, and Ruby felt she was breaking a spell by moving, but as the memories started trickling back to her, she was left with no other option. Tears had jumped into her eyes again, a small gasp leaving her lips as she slowly pushed herself up onto her elbows.

Frantically, she looked about, casting her gaze out into the far corners of the room only to discover what she sought was merely inches away from her.

She turned slowly onto her other side, voice rasping as she choked out her name:

"Weiss..."

Her tone was many things – first fearful Weiss was not breathing again, then relieved that she was, then doubtful it was real.

Ruby rested on her side to face her loyal knight, reaching out a shaking hand from under the blankets, and in the process allowing some of the cold night air to slip into the cove of warmth. Her fingers twitched before they could make contact with Weiss' face, curling back – uncertain – until at last she needed to almost force herself to do it.

"Weiss..."

A reassurance to herself - that was what it was. Speaking Weiss' name reminded Ruby she was alive.

Of course the slow rise and fall of the other girl's chest was helpful as well, and Ruby slid closer, keeping herself up to gaze down at the beauty before her, the girl who had saved her life so selflessly time after time.

Again, her gaze went to the scar over Weiss' left eye, and Ruby recalled the time when they were younger when an assassin had tried to claim her life. Even when she was just a child, Weiss had never hesitated to throw her own life on the line to protect Ruby, no matter the consequences.

Presently, Ruby dipped her head, blinking away a tear from each eye as she pressed her lips to that scar, light and loving.

A small, almost inaudible sound from beneath her had the princess pulling back, biting her lip.

Weiss' eyelids lifted slowly, as if it required great effort to do so, but the beautiful blue they revealed in turn was worth it. Her irises focused, first on the ceiling for a moment before shifting to the source of warmth at her side. She swallowed, breathed, and spoke.

"Ruby..."

The younger girl whimpered softly.

"Weiss... I'm sorry. I woke you up, didn't I? You need to rest, I'm sorry-"

"_Ruby_..."

Her gentle voice was nothing like it often was when the sun was up. Now it was thin and timid.

And yet, there was something different about it that made it all the more wonderful.

There was truth in it, not like the times when she often tried to disguise her fatigue, plaster a smile, or conceal her exhaustion in a guise of reassurance.

Now, she was _tired_, and she was not afraid to hide that truth from Ruby.

The princess held her gaze, watching, waiting for Weiss to tell her whatever it was she needed to say.

But her knight's eyes had closed again as she focused on inhaling a shuddering breath. Ruby leaned over a bit and lightly pressed her lips to Weiss' collar by means of encouragement, the message there silent but decipherable only to her knight.

_"It's okay. Take your time. You can do it." _

Weiss relished the contact, thrived on it, and before long she reopened her eyes and tried again.

"Ruby... there will be plenty of time for me to... rest later... I woke now because... I sensed my princess needed to hear my voice."

Ruby felt a swell of emotion rise up in her chest, and she nodded.

"Yeah... Yeah, I... I just needed to..."

She could not finish, but Weiss understood. The edges of the knight's lips curled up into a small smile, something rare and tiny that anyone else would have missed.

But Ruby saw it, and it made her let go of the fears at last. Her fingers curled through Weiss' long, loose tresses, brushing over her cheeks and forehead.

"I-I just..." She was crying now, but doing her best not to be too loud and wake the others. "I kept thinking... _this_ was all just a dream... that I'd wake up and... and you'd be gone..."

A tear transferred from her face to Weiss', and her thumb wiped it away gingerly.

Weiss sighed, blinked, and spoke again.

"Even... if that were the reality of all of this... even if I were gone, I'd still be with you, Ruby. You know that don't you?"

A nod, and the princess' face was distraught, and Weiss felt instantly guilty for making her think about it. She continued, her smile audible in her voice now.

"But that's not... the reality, Ruby. _This_ is. I'm here, I'm alive, and I'll do anything to prove it to you."

She just... wanted her to stop her pained crying. It broke Weiss' heart to see it, to hear it, and Ruby had done far too much of it in the past twenty-four hours. It needed to end now, for all of their sakes.

Weiss knew what the girl wanted – what she needed – but could see Ruby was too scared to ask for it, scared she would hurt Weiss somehow.

So the white-haired knight initiated it, drawing her hands slowly out from the blankets and reaching them up slowly to cup Ruby's face. The brunette stopped her sobbing when she felt those small hands pulling her down, and she made sure to keep her weight on her elbows and off of Weiss as she helplessly gave in.

They kissed, small and tentative at first, leaving plenty of room for air. Their lungs expanded in time together before exhaling slowly, and Ruby draped one arm around her knight's shoulder, one forearm on either side of Weiss' head as she leaned over her chest.

There was a pause, a moment to breathe, and they each used it as much as they needed to. The candles flickered around them, their only audience, keeping the room warm and lit.

Then, the second kiss, fuller but still a bit hesitant, longer-lasting, but easy to pull away from when necessary.

Ruby gave the poor girl a break, trailing butterfly kisses over her cheeks, forehead, and nose, shielding Weiss from the cool night air with her own body. Their chests pressed ever so lightly against one another's, but Ruby was mindful of herself, making sure it was never an effort for Weiss to draw precious breath.

A few moments passed in this manner, and Ruby waited patiently, ready to stop if Weiss needed to, ready to continue if she wished. She felt those small hands move behind the back of her neck, cradling her head and bringing her down one more time.

The last kiss started as a breath shared between them, but when their lips came together, it was infinitely more. It was chaste, and spoke of all they had lost in the past, and all they had found in one another.

It told of the times they had almost lost their lives, and demonstrated the reasons they were still alive now. It broke down their fears and swept them all aside, rebuilding with confidence, acceptance, and love.

_So_ much love.

Ruby had thought she had cried all she could today, but somehow more tears dripped down her cheeks now as she finally pulled back. Weiss was crying too, but it was silent due to her enervation.

Ruby wiped her own face before cleaning her lover's with a gentle thumb.

"I love you, Weiss. I can't... I can't say it enough..." She felt the words would lose meaning with the frequency with which she uttered them.

But Weiss dashed those fears instantly.

"I know you do. I _know_ it, Ruby."

Weiss breathed her love in every breath, felt it in every touch, existed with it in every heartbeat.

And Ruby knew it as well, because it was the same for her.

She finally cracked a smile that reflected Weiss', tired but triumphant, void of uncertainties of any kind.

Keeping her loose embrace on Weiss, Ruby lowered herself down, resting her ear against her collar. She felt and heard Weiss sigh one last time, her arms wrapping around the princess' shoulders to keep her close.

Ruby listened to every beat of her heart, not wanting to miss a single one after all they had been through. More so than the warmth of their bodies moving together, that familiar rhythm proved to Ruby the realness of all of this. Every little thump was a second Weiss was alive, loving _her_, even when she slept.

When they were together, they did not feel like there were any wasted heartbeats; every last one _meant_ something.

So Ruby listened to all of them, snuggling close, letting nothing else in the world but Weiss fill her senses. She listened to Weiss' pulse slow as she finally fell asleep, her breathing soft and deep – relaxed, unafraid. Every heartbeat of hers was beautiful, every breath magical.

Ruby felt herself slipping before long, and she soon followed Weiss into the realm of slumber.

Whatever came tomorrow could wait – for now, they were alone beneath the stars, free of their respective curses at long last. Ruby no longer was cursed by the Dragon, and Weiss was no longer burdened by the inability to display her unbridled affections for her princess.

They were free, they were safe, they had each other, and nothing else mattered.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thank you for reading through until the end! I hope it was satisfying and somewhat acceptable for you!**

**Epilogue preview: _Despite the snow, the crops seemed sturdier than usual this year, and there was an abundance of food to go around._**

**_Every day was special and bright._**

**_But there was one toward the heart of the season that would prove brighter and more special than any other._**

**Please review!**


	12. Epilogue: Spring

**Let me just thank you all so much for supporting my story and AU. I truly didn't think it'd go this far or get so much interest when there are substantially better and more established AUs out there (by artists), so you have my humblest thanks! I apologize if it's unsatisfying, but I sincerely hope you enjoy this epilogue chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

* * *

><p>Epilogue<p>

Spring

Ruby revealed everything she knew, everything that had happened that fateful night.

She explained it all before a council that consisted of her father and all of his men, as well as Yang and Blake. Weiss was on bed rest for the next several days, but in the meantime, Ruby refused to accept any other knight offered to her.

"I don't need anyone else," she had declared. "_Weiss_ is my knight. I'll wait for her."

When she had told them all she knew, the people of the council were more than shocked; Ruby believed they were almost disbelieving enough to accuse her of lying.

"The Dragon's Curse has been around for over a thousand years. With all due respect, Princess Rose, you expect us to believe it just vanished altogether last night?"

"I do," she replied a little tartly, but confidently. "Because that's what happened."

Although the arrow Weiss had been shot with was nowhere to be found, Yang and Blake testified to having seen it for themselves, and they confirmed every part of Ruby's story, save from witnessing the Ancient Dragon.

Yang could see it in the King's eyes, that he wanted to believe Ruby more than anything, but he was just finding all of this too hard to swallow. So Yang proposed that they speak to Weiss when she next woke to get proof of what Ruby was saying.

The princess agreed, but insisted only her father and a few guards could enter the room where Weiss was recovering as to not cause too much ruckus.

Her knight was awake at the time when the King entered, and even from where she sat in bed, she did her best to bow to him.

"Weiss..." Ruby went to her and embraced her briefly.

Normally, Weiss would have dissuaded her from doing so in front of others, _especially_ the King.

But then she remembered they had nothing left to hide now. And perhaps they never really did.

Ruby pulled away from her and spoke softly.

"Weiss, I'm sorry we have to do this when you're still recovering, but could you...?"

The knight knew exactly what was being asked of her, and she nodded.

Weiss recounted everything that had happened in detail, how someone had tried to kill Ruby, but she regretted to tell she never saw their face. Ruby held her hand as she spoke to the King, trying to keep her voice level and articulate.

The King listened with a sorrowful expression before speaking.

"And when you knew you were going to die, what did you do?"

Weiss straightened up and looked directly into his gaze.

"I asked Princess Ruby to kill me."

There was a beat of silence before the King pressed further.

"And...?"

"And she did," Weiss replied. "Or... she tried to do as I'd asked. But something... happened. I don't know what it was. The next thing I knew, I was conscious again, even though there was so much blood. My wounds were healed and the worst of the pain was gone. Something happened, Your Highness, but I regret to tell you I can't say with absolute certainty what it was."

Her story was what convinced the King everything his daughter had told him was the truth. He apologized to Ruby for having to doubt her, but there was no mistaking things now.

"A magic as strong as freezing time, or giving back life... those are not things capable by human or Faunus," he said. "Only a god can tamper with the world in such a manner."

And he had to admit that the presence of the Ancient Dragon would account for why the Grimm attack had suddenly stopped altogether, and the beasts had retreated within seconds.

As he and Ruby walked out of Weiss' quarters to let her nurse tend to her, the man patted his daughter's shoulder lightly.

"So you broke the curse..." he mumbled. "The curse that claimed so many lives over the years, even your mother's... My own daughter broke it."

"Yeah..." Ruby's voice was sad despite the smile on her lips. "He - the Dragon - said... Mom actually came close to breaking it herself, but in the end she... she didn't trust the people who loved her enough."

There was a moment of silence between Ruby and her father then, and it was fragile. A single tear rolled down his cheek and Ruby hugged him briefly.

When the mood had started to mend, they continued walking, and Ruby offered a brighter tone.

"He also said I was the first person in a _long_ time to ever make him laugh! And the first one _ever_ to make him laugh twice!"

And that little tale earned a chuckle from her father.

A guard recovered Weiss' rapier from the courtyard, and the tip was found stained with blood – Weiss' blood. Ruby shuddered at the sight and needed to remind herself Weiss was alright now. The King ordered for the weapon to be cleaned and sent back to its rightful owner.

Then, he presented his daughter with a weary smile. It was one of a man who had lost many things in life, had been through many hardships, but was finally able to compensate for some of those things with something better.

"What do you say," he said to her. "About revealing to all of Vale that the curse is broken?"

Ruby beamed at him.

"Let's do it now!"

The order was put in to ring the large bell atop one of the highest towers. It was a very rare sound to hear for the citizens, and its ringing signified there was to be a gathering of sorts outside of the royal castle.

Humans and Faunus alike clogged the streets and plaza, and those who could not hear the voices of those speaking would be passed the information by others. Guards on their horses would saunter through the crowds to relay information to the people who could not hear directly.

And there was a different air about the kingdom that morning, even before the King began to speak. It was like a shroud – one they had come to live beneath blindly as it slowly suffocated them all – had finally been lifted by a powerful, protective wind.

The call for silence was made, and the King began to speak, as loudly as he could, voice bellowing.

Yang and Blake flanked Ruby, and when it was her time to speak, she did so as confidently as she could. Yang watched her fondly and mumbled to Blake.

"I can still remember when she was little and was too scared to make friends with other kids," she chuckled. "And now, here she is, addressing the _entire kingdom_ without a hitch."

"She's something else," Blake murmured with a smile.

"You can say that again."

There was a tense silence about the crowd, threaded and woven amongst the anxious onlookers as Ruby recounted her story, spoke of meeting and speaking to the Ancient Dragon.

She told them all he had told her, about the history of the Curse, and the truth behind it, how it was an accident made in a time of poor judgement, and not a malicious thing sent out to destroy the world as they knew it.

She finished a little breathlessly, but her silver eyes were serious.

"You don't have to believe me. I understand it must be difficult for a lot of you. But this _is_ what happened. I've told you all I know."

She then raised her arms and all but shouted the words:

"The Dragon's Curse has been broken!"

Following her empowering words, many things swept over the crowd.

Cheers erupted just as loudly as sobs and cries of relief did. Strangers from either race embraced one another, lovers kissed, parents lifted their children and praised the day.

Ruby smiled proudly as she stepped away from the castle balcony. She had not realized she was crying too, but they were good tears. Blake and Yang embraced her joyously.

"Well done, Ruby," Blake murmured to her.

"I'm..." Yang sniffled hard and swallowed. "I'm _so_ proud of my lil' sis!"

"All this time..." Blake said softly. "We've been wondering how to break this curse. The only answer we'd come up with was fighting, trying to exterminate the Grimm in the White Fang's case, or to preserve them in ours. But we were thinking about it all wrong."

"You did it, sis," Yang went on. "You freed all those souls Remnant lost to that curse. Summer's too."

Ruby sniffled, nodded, and buried her face into her sister's shoulder, sobbing softly as Blake stroked through her hair.

The citizens celebrated, some breaking out into dance right where they had gathered until almost everyone was twirling and laughing together. Street vendors shared their goods, children played - _everyone_ played.

And not long afterward, the sunlight dimmed just a bit as thick white clouds blew in to cover the sky. The first snowfall of the season flurried down on them, and it was almost too good to be true.

Ruby felt it was an apology of sorts, and a blessing.

Nearly the entire kingdom was in joyful tears all throughout that day, and the laughter rose up into the air, louder than the bell. It was a moving scene, one that came around maybe once in a lifetime.

But Ruby was a very lucky girl, and the people who shared their lives with hers would get to experience it all again before very long.

* * *

><p>The winter was a generous one, one of light snowfall, enough to let the children play, but never too heavy to bring about crisis.<p>

In that season, Vale's envoys spread the news of the broken curse to the other kingdoms, and with a sense of ease on all the peoples' minds, a time of great peace began.

With the curse lifted, the Grimm were no longer attracted to the negative emotions the citizens harbored, and therefore no longer attacked the kingdoms or their people.

Because of this, the White Fang no longer had a purpose to fight things did not threaten them, and was rumored to have disbanded indefinitely. The guilty party who had made an attempt on Ruby's life was never apprehended, nor did they ever cause such outrageous trouble again.

The dark organization that had once caused such an uproar – kidnapping children, sending people out into the forests as live bait, acting against the late Queen's wishes – were all suddenly silent, and never heard from again.

It was unsettling in a way, but once it was clear there was nothing brewing from the group of radicals, a sense of ease came over the kingdom that would be the final part to their peaceful days.

Weiss recovered fully within a short amount of time, insisting she have her rapier returned to her as she dressed herself in her usual armor and attire. She would have been out of bed sooner, but the doctors kept insisting they run just _one_ more test. She only listened to them because Ruby had begged her to.

The princess stayed by her knight's bedside, despite the latter's protests.

"You shouldn't stay in my quarters," Weiss told her. "Yours are much better to accommodate you."

"Are you saying..." Ruby whined, snuggling closer to her. "That you don't want me here?"

"Of course not! I simply mean-"

"Don't you feel better this way? I mean, you can at least keep an eye on me, riiight?"

Weiss had clamped her mouth shut after that, and Ruby giggled.

The days were easygoing that winter, calm and lighthearted as the people rejoiced.

The four girls soon fell back into their usual routine of having breakfast together before going out on the streets to greet the people.

Ruby was accepting birthday gifts from the children even weeks after it had passed, but she welcomed all of their kindness with open arms.

Some of the Faunus children told Blake they heard no more about the White Fang, and a few even said that a loved one who had been snatched away had been released and come back to them.

It was all simply a very hopeful time.

Despite the snow, the crops seemed sturdier than usual this year, and there was an abundance of food to go around.

Every day was special and bright.

But there was one toward the heart of the season that would prove brighter and more special than any other.

. . .

Not many people knew of Weiss' birthday.

She did not believe it was a date important enough to be made known to others. That was what she told people anyway, but Ruby liked to believe she refused to announce it and make a big deal of it because Ruby was one of the few, few people who knew of it.

It was their secret, special day, in a way.

And Ruby had something very, very special in mind to offer her that day.

Since their relationship as lovers had been made official to the kingdom, Weiss now shared Ruby's bed.

The morning of her knight's birthday, Ruby woke early, even before Weiss did. She rolled over to watch her sleep, hair down and breathing soft. Ruby placed a light kiss on her nose and looped an arm around her to hug her before she slipped out of bed.

She did not change from her nightgown, and merely slipped a robe over herself and stepped into her slippers before scurrying out of the room.

She went to the kitchen where breakfast was just being prepared, and she thanked the chefs before telling them she and Weiss would be eating in her room that morning.

Ruby balanced a plate of fresh fruits, toast, and jam on either arm, and took a mug of coffee in each hand as she slowly made her way back up the stairs, politely refusing the assistance several guards offered her.

She had left the door slightly ajar and pushed it open with her foot before closing it behind her.

Weiss stirred at the sound, and Ruby quickly went to the nearby dresser and put everything down before rushing over to the bed and all but diving in to hug her.

"Goooood morning, Weiss!" she squealed, showering her with kisses at anywhere she could put them. "Happy birthday! Happy, happy, happy birthdaaaaay, my love!"

Weiss was squeaking in surprise at every kiss, every word, ever squeeze Ruby gave her.

"R-Ruby! Gosh, you- mmph!"

She was cut off by a kiss to the lips as Ruby laid on top of her, finding Weiss' hands and interlocking their fingers. Weiss went limp and did her best to reciprocate in the short window of time Ruby gave her before she pulled away.

"Happy birthdaaay!" she said again, a little softer as she nuzzled into Weiss' chest. "Thanks for being with me another year, Weiss. And thanks for... loving me all this time."

Weiss was silent, listening to her words, absorbing every last one. Ruby always remembered her birthday, even when Weiss was led to believe even Winter and her own father sometimes forgot.

And every year, Ruby bombarded her with heartfelt words like these, ones that left the white-haired girl nearly speechless from their tenderness. She brought her arms around Ruby and held her close.

"You dunce. Of course I love you. I always have and I always will. You know that." She felt Ruby nod against her collar.

"Yeah! Yeah, I know! I just needed to say it! I need you to know how much I love you too, Weiss!" She sat up and crawled off of her, helping Weiss sit up. "Which is whyyyy I brought you breakfast in bed on this special morning!"

She scampered across the room and retrieved the plates of food, presenting one to Weiss proudly.

"Ruby, you didn't have to-"

"I know! But I wanted tooooo!"

Weiss sighed hopelessly.

"Then thank you."

"Heehee~"

They sat together and ate slowly, a light breakfast for now; Ruby had put in the order for a feast tonight as she did every year, and Weiss knew it would await her later for a small, private celebration.

They finished their food and coffee, after which Ruby put everything back onto the dresser.

When she turned around, she found Weiss slipping out of bed, making her way to the dresser where she had left her formal clothes and armor.

Ruby jumped, and the small object she had secured in her palm was swiftly swept into hiding in the long sleeve of her nightgown as she scurried over to her knight.

"Ahhhh, wait wait wait, Weiss! Don't... um, d-don't get changed yet..."

She took Weiss' wrist, pausing her from what she was doing.

"Pardon? Why ever not, if I may ask?" Her mist-blue eyes were curious and confused, perhaps a tad worried as to why Ruby needed to stop her.

Ruby felt her face go red with a blush, and her heart started to pound.

_This... this is it,_ she thought. _Th-Th-This is really it oh my god...!_

Weiss was waiting for an answer, and the princess swallowed with a gulp.

"Ahh... w-well because I-I-I wanted to sh-show, uh... give you something? B-But like uhm, I..."

She took a deep breath, thinking through her words as she stopped her legs from trembling. She coached herself through this in her mind, recalled the lessons she had given herself for the past two weeks as she lie in bed every night.

After a moment, she was a bit calmer, and finally went on.

"I want to do this for you, but... I want to do it for _Weiss_. Not my knight in the royal guard – well I mean, that's still you, but... but _this_..." She motioned to the girl with her hair down, the girl in her nightgown with her true self visible to Ruby and Ruby alone. "_This_ is the real Weiss, I feel. I mean I know you're always Weiss no matter what but-"

"Ruby..." Weiss leaned forward and pressed a gentle, steadying kiss to her lips. "I understand what you mean. Go on then, and do what you must."

Ruby almost trailed after her lips, and it was hard not to take them again, but she had something else she needed to do right now.

The early morning winter sunlight was filtering through the curtains now, bringing a new light to the room, cool and yet also somehow warm.

Ruby took a deep breath.

She took Weiss' left hand in her right-

-and got down on one knee.

"_Weiss..._"

She spoke her name, and the white-haired girl felt her heart come to a screeching halt. She felt dizzy instantly, like she was drowning, and yet it was not suffocating.

She could not describe it, nor could she resist it. All she could do was look down into those silver eyes and listen.

"Weiss..." Ruby's throat had already tightened, but she persisted. "I've... I've loved you for... for my whole life. You've been... my loyal knight for as long as I can remember."

She was already crying, but she could not stop now.

"You've... You've died for me... b-but I... I want you to _live_ for me now more than ever. For the rest of _our_ lives... together..."

The words wanted to tumble out, but Ruby bit her lip. She rolled the tiny velvet box out from her sleeve and into view, keeping her eyes locked on Weiss' as she spoke as clearly as she could manage.

"Weiss Schnee... my very best friend and most trusted, loyal knight, and the love of my life... would you-"

"Ruby-!"

Weiss whimpered her name, closing her eyes instantly as the tears started flowing.

Ruby fell silent immediately, as though stricken, but she did not let go of her knight's hand. Weiss was shaking just as badly as she herself was, and Ruby watched her with scared, uncertain eyes.

Weiss' free hand wiped her face desperately.

"Ruby... Ruby, you dunce! You can't do this!" she cried.

Ruby felt her entire body go numb, heart throbbing in her throat.

Weiss grabbed her armor and dug into it with her free hand, scrambling for something.

"You-You can't do this now, Ruby-!" she said again, and at last she found what she was searching for.

Then, Weiss too brought a small, velvet box into view and met Ruby's gaze once more.

"Because... if _you_ do this now... then what am _I_ supposed to do with this?"

It took a moment for Ruby to realize what this meant.

She looked to the box that more or less matched her own, then back to Weiss' face. The older girl was smiling as the tears broke free, and Weiss lowered herself onto one knee before her.

"You dunce..." she muttered, bringing a hand up to caress the princess' face. "You... You almost beat me to it... I was going to wait until the new spring, but you're so impatient..."

When she heard those words, Ruby started sobbing uncontrollably as she burrowed her face in Weiss' shoulder.

"Weiss! Weiss, f-for real, y-you really-?"

"Dunce." Weiss kissed her hair. "If this wasn't real, could I do _this?_"

She tilted Ruby's face up to hers and pressed a firm kiss to her lips, pulling their bodies together until their pounding pulses overlapped. Ruby sobbed against her, and Weiss tasted salt.

And yet it was so, so sweet.

When they parted, Ruby was smiling, laughing despite the tears as she kissed Weiss' scar.

"I _love_ you, Weiss."

"I love you too, Ruby," she replied. "But don't you think we should... finish this?" Her eyes flashed down to the unopened boxes in their palms.

Ruby nodded and opened hers first before Weiss copied the gesture, revealing the rings.

"Princess of Vale, Ruby Rose-"

"Royal Knight, Weiss Schnee-"

"Would you do me the utmost honor-"

"Will you be mine for the rest of our days-"

They spoke separately, then in unison:

_"Will you marry me?"_

There were soft chuckles as they tried to maintain their smiles past the waves of intense emotion crashing over them.

And then the answers:

"Yes..."

"_Yes_..."

Ruby pulled the ring from her box, a simple trinket save from the small red rose carved from a ruby into the top. The ring from Weiss' box had much the same shape, including a white rose carved from diamond.

They took one another's hands and slipped the respective rings into place.

And then they threw their arms around one another and kissed again, passion and joy mixed between soft sobs, blissful laughter, and lively heartbeats.

* * *

><p>The spring came slowly, and yet by the time it arrived, it was as though it had never left Vale.<p>

Ruby and Weiss' wedding was set to be held as soon as the weather warmed up.

News of the betrothal was both surprising and yet not unexpected.

It was the day after Weiss' birthday that Yang had noticed the rings, and from there, word had spread absurdly fast. All she had done for the rest of the winter season was hug the two girls every time she saw them, crushing them to her as Blake offered congratulations.

No one was opposed to the arrangement happening so soon; it was clear to everyone in the kingdom that Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee would forever be together. If a broken curse and a lifelong bond were not enough to convey as much, then surely the affectionate kisses they shared – even publicly now – served to suffice.

Invitations for the event were sent out to other kingdoms, and although not every land could send a representative or guest to attend the wedding, bountiful gifts were sent over to Vale for the couple.

The wedding was more lavish than any banquet the King had ever overseen.

Human and Faunus alike pitched in, sharing kindness and gifts and acceptance. The military's troops were told to attend the celebration informally, which led JNPR's members to dress casually in suits and dresses.

A simple comment from Nora to Ren of "Soooo when are _we_ gonna get married?" had the entire team blushing red.

Jaune glanced at Pyrrha and looked intent to say something, but saved it for another time.

That day was the happiest in Vale's history, even more so than the day the Dragon's Curse had been announced to be broken.

For the occasion, a grand feast was put in order, and banners and streamers were decorated around the castle both inside and out. Every guest had been given a rose or brought one themselves in celebration of the couple who was to be wed today.

With the flowers all in bloom, colors lit up the world beneath the sunshine, vibrant and lively. Even the multi-colored rose bushes that had surrounded the castle walls for years and remained dead for some time now had miraculously bloomed to life.

As Ruby stood in her wedding dress that morning, peeking from her room, she recalled a certain promise, one that she had been told she would remember in the spring.

The once-dead bushes were now in full bloom, roses of red and white and pink, mixing together and bordering the entire castle. A makeshift altar had been prepared on the elevated plaza, and the flowers wreathed around the area in volume.

All morning, all she heard from her window was laughter and joy.

Presently, Ruby cast a fond glance down to her left ring finger, and the little white rose that sat there.

Her dress was luxurious, made of some of the finest materials her father could afford, layers of deep crimson overlapped by lighter shades of red. One of the red roses from the garden had been picked and placed into her hair by none other than Yang herself, and the elder of the two had helped her little sister get ready that morning before taking her leave.

Now, when her knock sounded on the door once more, Ruby knew it was time.

Yang stepped into her room, her golden dress flowing like a magical waterfall, her hair curled slightly as it ran all down her back. She almost burst into tears when she saw Ruby then, and Yang simply opened her arms to her.

"C'mere, lil' sis."

Ruby bounded to her and threw her arms around her sister, giggling lightly. Yang whimpered against her ear, trying to hold back the tears to no avail.

"I can't believe... my lil' sis is getting married today..." she murmured. "No fair... You're growin' up so fast... faster than me and Blake."

"Maybe," Ruby mused. "But you two will be married later this year, right?"

Yang sputtered and pulled back quickly.

"W-Who told you that? I'm not even wearing the ring!"

"It's kind of obvious, Yang. I bet Dad already knows, too~"

"No way! You... you don't really think so?"

Ruby rolled her eyes.

"Sooo when did Blake propose, exactly? Was it right after Weiss and I did? Heh, I bet she had a ring for you but you probably didn't even have hers yet-"

"Ruby, it's your wedding day but I will _still_ headbutt you until you're unconscious for a bit if you don't stop talking."

"Okaaaayy~"

Yang snorted, her face flushed pink as she let go of her sister and promptly changed the subject.

"Blake just went to fetch Weiss. She's waiting for you, so let's go."

Ruby hugged her one last time.

"Right!"

As they walked through the castle halls, they could hear the sounds of the celebration outside.

Thousands of people had gathered and were already gazing upon _one_ of the future queens.

Weiss stood at the altar before the priest, and every eye was damp and drawn to her. Her father and sister had walked with her down the carpet not too many moments ago before stepping away to the front of the crowds.

The knight everyone had always known to wear armor and sword now revealed herself to the kingdom in a pure white dress, like blankets of untouched snow. A silver veil of gossamer made for a transparent layer that laid over the main shade, and the sunlight pouring down over her made every inch of her sparkle.

Her hair was freed from its usual bindings, and even slightly wavy, and white gloves covered her hands to her elbows. A white rose had been tucked behind her ear, and her tiara that usually set atop the crest of her ponytail now was worn proudly at the crown of her head.

Blake stood behind her, also attracting quite a few gazes, considering her rare appearance. She also adorned a dress, one that was like an autumn night, hints of purple embroidered in around the edges. The hair she normally kept in a low mussed ponytail was also down, flowing fully to the small of her back in waves like the ocean at night. Her Faunus ears were perked tall and proud, only slightly anxious as the sound of the castle doors opening echoed out around the plaza.

All those gathered fell silent in a matter of seconds, and every gaze turned to take in the sight of their princesses.

Blake and Yang had already seen one another that morning, but the sight of seeing each dressed so beautifully again admittedly had their respective partner's jaws dropping a bit.

But the second Weiss glimpsed her love, she put a hand to her mouth as a powerful surge of emotion filled her chest.

Ruby held herself proudly, a bouquet of multi-colored roses now in her hands as she stepped out of the castle. The King himself stood to walk his youngest daughter down the red carpet that had been rolled out for this momentous occasion. Yang kept to Ruby's other side, occasionally wiping her eyes, catching her father doing the same.

Ruby managed to keep her head held high all the while as they walked together.

But the instant she saw Weiss looking like the angel she was, Ruby almost crumpled.

She was crying by the time her father and sister let her walk to the altar alone, dipping her head into her shoulder to catch a few of the tears.

Weiss too, was finding it difficult to look at her new wife's brilliance as the priest began to speak.

Ruby clutched the bouquet to her chest, her tears falling periodically down onto the petals. Weiss folded her gloved hands before her stomach, doing her best to maintain some shred of composure.

When they were asked to speak their vows, Weiss' heart swelled as she recounted them word for word, speaking clearly despite all else.

Ruby returned the words unto her, one portion of which they had gone over together and therefore presently spoke in unison:

"I vow to be by your side until the end of my days, just as I have been since the beginning of them. My love for you is unbreakable, incomparable, and unconditional. For as long as I live, I shall love you and you alone with unbridled affection, and together we shall overcome any and all obstacles presented to us."

It was asked if anyone saw a reason why these two should not be wed. Of the thousands of people gathered, there was not a single sound from the crowd.

The "I do"s were said, loudly and clearly.

At last, the priest permitted them to kiss.

And it was flawless.

Their hands found each other's over roses as lips pressed curved smiles into a kiss that sealed their lives together, joining them as one. Hearts beat quickly, colors and promises old and new swirling around them as cheers erupted and a million roses were tossed high into the currents of the breeze.

Sisters and fathers wept, and once more people without any relation to one another embraced and cheered and smiled.

The entire world seemed to be at peace in that moment, and perhaps it truly was.

It was a blessed day, and there was no doubt about that.

Ruby and Weiss parted, and the bouquet was tossed - almost perfectly into Yang's hands. The blonde squealed, threw her arms around Blake, and twirled her, kissing her fully and holding her tightly. Ears flicked in embarrassment, but it lasted only a second before Blake returned the contact with fervor.

The two new future queens of Vale watched and laughed together, and the whole world laughed with them.

Then, silver and blue met again, as did their lips. Hands slid around shoulders and waists, caressing hair and cheeks, catching tears. There was a shared breath between them, and mutual words:

"_I love you." _

Their hearts beat as one, laced together by the threads of fate and the universe itself.

Their love was strong enough to break a thousand-year curse, to lift its dark magics and replace it for joy, peace, and celebration.

It was a love more powerful than any hatred, greed, or misguidance that had tried to tear them apart.

It transcended time and space, locking their souls together in a perpetual dance.

It was empowering, unbreakable, incommensurable.

And it was eternal.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Once more, I thank you all so much for reading until the end! Thank you for your support! I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing!**

**Please review!**


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